


Teen Titans: Young, Wild, and Dangerous

by ThatYellowFinch



Series: It Came From Beyond The Source Wall [2]
Category: DCU (Comics), Young Justice (Cartoon)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Bad Decisions, Canon Rewrite, Continuity What Continuity, Gen, New 52
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-04
Updated: 2018-03-30
Packaged: 2018-09-14 17:03:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 22
Words: 40,027
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9195371
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThatYellowFinch/pseuds/ThatYellowFinch
Summary: Damian Wayne is spending his thirteenth birthday alone when a suspicious package drags him right back into his messy past full of abuse and bad blood. An old threat from his childhood forces him to form a new team of underage heroes.Now Nobody, Suren Darga, Kid Lantern, and Superboy must decide if they're ready to stand with Damian or let him crash and burn on his own.-Takes place inside author's own continuity where the rules are made up and the comic books don't matter; kinda a mix up between post-crisis, New-52, Rebirth, and the Young Justice tv show-





	1. Demon's Fist Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> aight so I know I still have half a trilogy to finish for Bart and Jaime and I promise I am working on it but after reading the Rebirth Teen Titans I just had to write it. I really hate the team they've lined up simply because it's literally Dick's Titan's team. I really want Damian to have his own. Thus, this fic was born.  
> Also this does take place inside my own weird continuity, as I said in the summary, where I've basically taken what I like from what I've watched and read and tailored it all to fit into one universe. It's still the same characters just without all the plot holes.

          Damian Wayne, Robin, thirteen years old as of today. Most kids, on their thirteenth birthdays, would be celebrating with their parents and other relatives. Damian didn’t have that luxury. His father was on a Justice League mission, his mother was- well...his mother. And the rest of his blood relatives were not the sort of people he would even want to see. So, instead, he had Alfred. He appreciated Alfred, at least. The man had baked him a cake from scratch, made sure that at least  _ someone _ had remembered that it was his birthday.

          Damian would like to say he didn’t blame his father, that he understood why he wasn’t there, that next year will be different. But that’s what he told himself last year. It was becoming increasingly obvious that Damian was a second thought, someone who was only relevant when he needed an extra pair of hands on deck. So much for Batman and Robin the Dynamic Duo of Gotham.

          But Batman wasn't the only team that Robin had in the past. Both Grayson and Drake had their Titans, and Young Justice before they split into the two distinct groups. Their own team of elite superheroes who the Justice League just refused to take seriously. He could form his own but that required Damian having friends. Besides, the Titans are still banned in New York, and Drake still led Titans west. But they weren't the only Titans group in operation and Damian saw no reason why there couldn't be one more. So who on it? Jon and Maya were obvious choices; as much as he fought with Jon he had to admit his powers would prove useful. So who else? Suren, an obvious choice, he should be surrounding himself with trusted allies especially if he’s going to be around Jon. Alright. That was four. They needed a fifth member. Someone who can be versatile, fill roles that the others couldn’t. Someone who will balance the others but won’t try to push Damian out of being leader.

          There was the newest Green Lantern, she was about the right age and her powers were incredibly versatile if she had the imagination to use it. But she was brash, reckless, and Damian wasn’t so sure she’d handle well with taking orders. Besides, as of now, she was with another group of Titans, alongside her brother Blue Beetle. It’d be hard to pry her away but Damian believed he’d be able to.

          But there was no point in forming a team unless there was some enemy for them to face. After all, the Justice League didn’t form simply as a social club. He’d have to shelf his plan for now, until the next time he faces something he can’t defeat on his own.

          So, Damian headed back to his room, the new sketchbook Alfred gave him for his birthday tucked under his arm, only to stop when he noticed the neatly wrapped package waiting on his bed. Did his father actually remember him? Or was it from Grayson? Either was theoretically possible, or it was right up until Titus took a sniff of it and started to growl. If Titus didn’t trust it there was no way Damian was going to. Carefully, he approached the present and pulled the top of the box off only to have to hold back a gag as the smell of decaying corpse reached his nose. You can be raised around death your entire life, but the smell of it never stops being disgusting. He steeled himself, brushing the poor robin aside and pulling out the carefully written letter.

_           You’re only alive to celebrate your birthday because I have allowed it. Come home. The time has come for you to fulfill your destiny. Or die. _

          “Grandfather.” Damian snarled through gritted teeth. It didn’t take the greatest detective on Earth to know who had left the package.

          So much for waiting for a crisis, one has already reared its ugly head. But this was one he could deal with on his own. His grandfather was a man to reckon with, but his threat was empty. He had no wish to see Damian dead. To do so would rid him of any chance to steal Damian’s body. Still, the letter did trouble him. There were worse things Ra’s Al Ghul could threaten, so why pick death? A threat Damian knew he wouldn’t go through with. As for his destiny...Damian was fairly certain he had undone most of that along with the Year of Blood, the only part still standing was-

          “Oh no.” The realization hit him like a truck and he was darting from the room, racing for the Batcave and his Robin gear. The Demon’s Fist. They’d be graduating this year. He had to find them. Had to find their targets. They had been his team to lead, and now their graduation project could very well rid him of someone important. After all, it was no secret to the League of Shadows where Damian was, who he was with, who he might have grown to care for. If anyone knew who the Fist would be targeting, it would be his mother.

          “Goliath.” Damian woke the slumbering beast with a snap. “We need to hurry.” Goliath would like their next destination, Bialya, where his mother still sat on a warlord’s throne.


	2. Demon's Fist Chapter 2

          Damian didn't have to worry about leading Goliath to Bialya, he knew the way home after all. The entire ride he spent with his nose on his tablet, plan already forming in his mind. Once he found their targets he’d be able to find them and stop the Demon’s Fist. That, of course, was assuming his mother would be forth coming with the information. If not, there was always a way he could steal it, but if he was going up against the Demon’s Fist he would need to save his energy for an actual fight. Besides, his mother wasn’t exactly on the best of terms with Ra’s. She worked for him, for the moment, but it was no secret she harbored ill intents. If she did have the information, Damian might be able to persuade her to share.

          As they arrived at the palace Goliath circled around, Damian directing him to land outside the walls. His mother would have seen their approach and would be expecting him now, there was no point in attempting to sneak into the palace itself. In another few moments, and an annoying argument with a group of guards who didn’t recognize him, Damian was shown up to his mother’s office. She at least seemed in a good mood, or as good as mood as his mother had.

          “This is a surprise, Damian, but not an unpleasant one.” She smiled down at him and Damian felt a chill down his spine. “I’m glad you’ve come for a visit. Happy birthday, my son.”

          “Happy isn’t a word in our family’s vocabulary, Talia.”

          “It should be.” She sighed sadly, getting up from her seat to cross the room and take her son’s hands. It disturbed Damian how she could still act like his mother after being responsible for his death. “This is a moment to celebrate, after all. There is no birthday more significant to us than thirteen. You’re a man now.” 

          Damian pulled away the moment he saw her reaching for him. “No. It’s merely another day; and I am not here for a reunion. Grandfather has left a threat; I believe he is sending the Demon’s Fist after me. I need to be ready, and to do that I need to know who else they are targeting.”

          Talia shouldn’t be surprised. Her son wasted no love on her. Still, seeing him pull away from her… “You are correct.” She allowed for the subject change, walking back to her desk to pick up a flash drive. “The Demon’s Fist is graduating, and it should come as no surprise that Mara targets you.” She held the drive out for her son. “I knew you’d come to me the moment you discovered this. Consider this information my present to you.”

          Damian eyed her with suspicion for a moment. “Just like that?”

          “I have no wish to see my son dead yet again. However, Damian, there is still time. Your Grandfather would welcome you back to the League should you go to him.”

          “Is that what you want?” He asked with a raised eyebrow.

          “Yes, it is; to have my son at my side. But,” She reached for him again, a warm gesture from a usually cold woman. “I never had a say in my fate. You must choose your own path. As my son, and the grandson of Ra’s Al Ghul. Or, as the Son of Batman. If you don’t return to Infinity Island you know what’s coming. You are not the only one celebrating your thirteenth birthday and the Demon’s Fist will begin its hunt soon. This flash drive has all their targets, I believe you know some of them personally. You  _ must _ protect the others if you wish to save yourself.” She pressed the drive into his hand and, before he could pull away, placed a kiss on his head. “Regardless of what you choose, I am your mother and will always take care of you.”

          Damian frowned, turning on his heels to leave without another word. His mother had softened since her resurrection, he saw it his last visit here and it was just as evident now. Still, she had been forthcoming with the information. He could only hope she wasn’t leading him astray.

          He returned to Goliath, told him to start for him, and plugged the drive into his phone. Names, pictures, and plans. His mother had gotten him just about everything on the Demon’s Fist it seemed. Including, their targets. Mara was, of course, targeting him. 

          Stone had his eyes on Milagro Reyes, he even had her secret identity it seemed. The brute would have a hard time bringing the Green Lantern down to Earth but once he did it would only take a few hits to bring her down for good. Brute strength versus absolute willpower and wit. It’d be an interesting enough fight, and Damian wasn’t sure Kid Lantern could handle him on her own.

          Blank, a shapeshifter with a cunning and ruthless fighting style, was targeting Suren Darga; probably hoping to endear himself to Ra’s by taking out the last surviving member of the Darga clan. Suren’s magic would hold him up well enough, but that was only if he knew he was being threatened. As of now, he was hiding out with Zatanna Zatara, another magic user who can help him get acclimated to the 21st century. She’d be able to protect him, so long as he wasn’t drawn away from her. And who better for the job than a shapeshifter?

          Plague was by far the most dangerous if just looking at her raw talents. Her mere touch brought on death, ruin, rot, and destruction. So, who better for her to go after than Jon Kent, Superboy. The boy was near indestructible, as Damian had learned, and incredibly untrained. Damian wasn’t sure if Plague’s touch would bypass Jon’s natural immunity to harm, but he wasn’t exactly eager to find out.

          The final name on the list caused rage and bitterness to boil inside him. Maya Ducard, the final target. His best friend, his sister, was being targeted by Nightstorm, a weather elemental, who must have found the ex-mercenary as an enticing challenge. Damian would be damned if he let him get within five feet of her.

          He knew their targets now, knew where to find them, and knew the abilities of the ones wishing to kill them. He had the upper hand, but wasn’t even sure where to start. It would be easy to get Maya at his side; a single phone call and she’d be there. Suren would be slightly harder to convince. The boy had begun to shy away from much of anything as he was still discovering just who he was outside of being his father’s puppet. Milagro was under the watchful eye of her brother who was afraid of letting her actually grow into being the hero she’s meant to be. Getting her away would take some convincing and possibly drive a wedge between the siblings. But, if it saved her life, who could blame him? And then there was Jon. Anytime Jon and Damian interacted ended in a fight, which might have to do with the fact that their first meeting was due to Damian kidnapping him. He would let Maya do the recruiting on that one. He’d give her a call once he was closer to the States, for now he had a stop in Paris to make. Zatanna was putting on a show tonight.


	3. Demon's Fist Chapter 3

          Paris, France. It was no surprise that Suren felt uncomfortable in the entirely foreign country. Then again, what country in the modern world wasn’t foreign to him? His home, the empire he had grown up under, the path his father had set him upon was all in dust and rubble. Where once his family palace stood there was now skyscrapers and smog. The world had moved on and the name Darga had been lost to obscure history. So much had changed since then. Wars, scientific discoveries, technological advancements, political movements. All this meant he was in a completely different Earth than the one he had left. It had been nearly impossible at first for him to adjust. Maya had helped at first, explaining best she could what a cellphone was, how computers worked. He was still amazed by the incredible amount of knowledge at his fingertips now, and he had spent the first several weeks after Damian and Maya had thwarted his mission just typing in every question he could into Maya’s laptop. He still didn’t understand a lot; like why commoners could own land, or women being allowed to wear pants, or even why magic had gone out of common practice. But he was learning. 

          Zatanna helped with that. Despite her rather appalling attire, the woman was a very skilled magician and he respected her greatly. She was even teaching him new magic that wasn’t dark in origins like what his father had taught him. Suren was finally thinking he had found himself a place in this new and foreign world. And then there was a knock on the hotel room door.

          His caretaker was in the middle of a show, and Suren had opted to stay in the hotel room.

          The outside world was often too loud for his liking, and even inside there were often noises that he just couldn’t shut out. So, he stayed in the most quiet area he could, hoping to shut the noisy modern world out. When the knock came he was surprised. Zatanna should still be in the middle of her show. Perhaps she had ordered him food, knowing he’d be stuck in the hotel all night. He didn’t give it much other thought as he approached the door and looked out the peephole. Instead of a delivery boy he found a rather impatient looking Robin and opened the door.

          “Damian, why are you-”

          “No time to explain, Darga.” Damian stepped into the room and closed the door. “Where is Zatanna? She should be with you.” He frowned when he noticed they were alone.

          “She’s in the middle of her show.”

          “Oh, right. Well we don’t have time for that either.” He looked like a boy on a mission as he crossed to the room’s desk and tore off a sheet from the notepad and started scrawling out a note for her. “She’ll be upset but she can take it out on me later. We need to go right now. Before  _ they _ catch on that I know. I still have three others to get to safety.”

          “They who?”

          “I’ll explain once I get all five of us together.” Damian finished the note and left it under one of the performer’s perfume bottles before turning to Suren. “Do you trust me?”

          “The last time I trusted you I got punched in the face.” Came the deadpan retort.

          “You were trying to end the world. I was justified. Now answer the question.”

          “Yes, Damian. I trust you.”

          “Good. Then we need to get going. Pack light we’ll be riding Goliath back to the states.”

 

          The call came in right as Maya got back to her boat after picking up dinner. Having turned her father’s mercenary business into a bit of a charity she had found herself in the docks of New York harbor, finishing up a case of a missing son. The kid had been found, but that left the kidnappers free and clear. Or, at least, they would be had they not been tied up with the cargo of her ship. She’d deal with them once she was finished eating. That was her plan before the call came in. Dammit, Little Brother, never giving her time to deal with her own cases.

          With a sigh she put the pizza box down and went to drag the two kidnappers out by their ropes. They were heavier than she was used to lifting but she managed to pull them out far enough to leave them hanging from a street lamp near the docks. “Alright, boys, the police will be here to pick you up in no time. It’s a good I already sent them all the evidence they need to convict you creeps. Just hang tight.” She grinned, aiming a good punch for one of their guts to send them swinging by the rope. With that done she could start finding her way to Smallville. Little Brother had something going on and she needed Jon’s help and it was doubtful Superboy would say yes to anything Robin came to him with so it was up to Maya. After all, Nobody could convince him.


	4. Demon's Fist Chapter 4

          Smallville, Kansas. The homes to Mr. and Mrs. Kent. Had Maya not known any better she’d actually be fooled by the the whole glasses and mild mannered thing. However, what Little Brother knew she knew. She waited patiently for the school bell, perched on the branch of a tree as she watched the door. Jon walked home with his friend Kathy after school, it’s exactly how she and Damian could manage to kidnap him last time she was here. She was hoping not to have to kidnap him this time.

          The moment the school bell sounded she was scanning the crowd of students for the doofy cap and glasses, swinging down from her branch when she spotted him. He didn’t see her coming but Kathy did and folded her arms with a glare. “I recognize you. You’re one of those kids that kidnapped Jon.”

          “It’s ok, Kathy. I told you, she’s cool.” Jon put a hand on his friend’s shoulder, shooting a smile at Maya. “Haven’t seen you in a while. What’ve you been up to?”

          “Punching bad guys and saving people, the usual.” She jested. “But, enough catching up, you and I need to get out of here. The sooner, the better.”

          “You’re kidnapping him  _ again _ ?” Kathy barked, closing the distance between her and Maya.

          “I’m not kidnapping him, short stack.” Maya rolled her eyes, pushing the younger girl away. “But there is a really bad person after him right now and Robin wants Jon where he can see him.” She probably shouldn’t have dropped that bomb so soon, but it at least got Kathy to back down. “Jon, is your  _ dad _ home?”

          Jon shook his head. “He’s on a trip with, uh-” Jon looked around worried people were listening- “his second job.”

          “Which means you’re here, alone. No protection. If you come with me, Robin and I can keep you safe.”

          “And how do we know you ain’t lying?” Kathy crossed her arms again.

          “Why would I lie about that?”

          “It’s ok, Kathy, promise. I trust Maya.” Jon told her. “But, I’m gonna have to run by home and get my stuff and let gramma and gramps know where I’m going.”

          “We should make it quick. There’s no telling how long we have before we start getting hunted.”

 

          With Suren dropped off with Alfred and Maya and Jon on their way to Gotham there was just one last person to pick up. Milagro Reyes was currently in El Paso, attending school like most thirteen year olds. Damian had yet to make the girl’s acquaintance and until recently he never really had a reason. When she wasn’t living her life in El Paso she was with her, now adult, brother at the west coast Titan’s Tower. From what Damian understood Milagro had yet to go on a mission without a senior Green Lantern or her brother watching over her shoulder. Damian had seen enough protective older brothers to know exactly why that was. Sure she was young, but based on what he had heard from Drake, she was capable, if a bit rough around the edges.

          She rode the bus home after school but it didn’t matter, Damian knew where she lived thanks to his father’s records on everyone. He’d be waiting around the corner from her house, leaning on a nearby light post as the bus drove by only to stop a few yards away at the corner. She’d have to pass him to get home, and whether she noticed him or not when the bus passed, she was going to notice him when she had to walk by. He waited patiently, meeting her eyes when she got closer.

          “Why take the bus when you can fly?” He asked calmly, casually, as though he were asking her why she wore green clips in her hair.

          Milagro stopped immediately, turning to shoot this strange boy a confused glare. “Alright, you know who I am. Gonna introduce yourself or just be rude?”

          “Oh, I’m sure you’ve heard your brother complain about me before. I’m Robin.” He didn’t move much as he talked, didn’t even offer her a hand to shake.

          “Why are you here? This is a long way from Gotham.”

          “Believe me, this isn’t a pleasure trip. You’re in danger, Reyes, you need to come with me.”

          “Ok, Terminator, slow down.” She held up a hand to stop him, waiting a moment to be sure he had stopped talking, before turning on her heel and power walking away from him.

          “Wait!” Damian hurried to keep up. “Where are you going?”

          “Home. I’ve got homework to do before I go to the Watchtower for training tonight.”

          “Did you not just hear me? You’re in danger. Actual real life threatening danger!”

          Milagro stopped with a roll of her eyes and rounded on him. “Look, Robin, I don’t care who you think you are. You don’t just come into my town insisting I leave because of some unknown threat which you haven’t even fully shared with me. Whatever danger I’m in, my brother and I can handle it. So, go back to Gotham, I’m sure there’s a clown terrorizing someone somewhere you can go foil.”

          Alright, Damian. Convince her. “You think your brother is going to trust you long enough to handle this? He doesn’t even trust you to go on missions on your own.” A low blow, but Damian didn’t see any other way at the moment.

          “Talk bad about my brother one more time.” Milagro warned, arms crossing and eyes narrowing.

          “I’m not saying anything bad about him.” He held his hands up defensively. “From what I hear he’s a very competent hero. He just doesn’t seem to be giving you a chance to be the same. After all, when was the last time you were on a mission, or responded to an emergency and he, or a senior Lantern, wasn’t looking over your shoulder?”

          “It’s called teamwork. Everyone works in teams, both in the Titans and the Justice League.”

          “But all the time? Even I get to go out on my own. It’s a little sad that you’ve been unable to prove yourself capable of working without them, honestly. But, if you’re sure you’re fine with being in your brother’s shadow, I’ll just be leaving.” He gave a casual shrug and started to walk away. He took about five steps as Milagro thought over what he said.

          “Wait.” She called after him. “What exactly is this threat?”

          “I’ll tell you on our way to New York. I’ve got a safe house already prepared for us there.” He turned to her with a smug smile. Why was manipulating people easier than just talking to them? Had things been a little less dire at the moment he might be more concerned. For now, his biggest worry was getting them both to New York before Mara started to catch up.


	5. Demon's Fist Chapter 5

          They arrived in New York right after sundown, the city lights gleaming to greet them. Milagro hadn’t ever seen New York from the air before. The glittering city scape illuminated and reaching out like circuits from a computer. It was one of the most beautiful things she had seen, though it had nothing on the endless vastness of space. She had only been to Oa once since she got her ring but she wouldn’t deny a second trip if only to travel through space again.

          Ahead of her the Boy Wonder rode on his hell beast, directing it to land on a low rooftop in Washington Heights. She landed closeby, peeking over the edge of the roof as she waited for him to finish talking to the demon. “Why New York anyways? Seems like if you needed somewhere to hide out you’d choose somewhere a little less noteworthy.”

          “Why? When I can blend into a crowd of eight and a half million other people?” Damian stated as Goliath flew off to find a safe perch for the night. He frowned as he noticed just how bright Milagro’s glow was. In the dead of night she was brighter than any headlight. She’d be an easy target for any assassin with a sniper rifle. Luckily, he knew Stone. Ranged attacks weren’t his style, he wouldn’t turn down the opportunity to get his hands dirty. Still, no need to give up their position more than they already have. “I suggest you change out of your Green Lantern gear. At night you can be spotted miles away.” Not exactly true in an urban environment but exaggerations rarely hurt anyone. As the girl’s glow dimmed, and her green uniform faded back into her civvies, Damian moved to the fire escape and climbed down until he reached a tightly shut window, prying it open after punching in a code on the hidden panel. 

          Inside was not exactly what Milagro had been expecting. She had expecting a dark, yet technologically advanced, hideout with plenty of racks of weapons and other gadgets. What she found looked like any old apartment; small, cramped, but nicely furnished.

          “This is your hideout?” She scoffed.

          “It’s exactly what’s on the label. A  _ hide _ out.” He retorted. “It’s not like the Batcave, it’s not a base of operations. Just a place to lay low as I figure out our next move.” He moved to the bedroom, checking to see if Suren was in there. Sure enough the boy was snoring into a pillow. He’d wake him up once Maya and Jon arrived. The boy was still on Paris time, after all. With a sigh he closed the door again. “There’s food in the pantry if you’re hungry.” He offered as he placed his laptop on the kitchen counter.

          “Most of us?” Milagro raised an eyebrow. “How many more are there?”

          “My friend, Suren, is in the other room sleeping right now. And Nobody and Superboy are en-route. We should make at least a decent team.”

          “We’re a team now?” She leaned against the counter across from him. “I have a team already, Boy Wonder. I’m only here because you said you’d tell me what this supposed threat is.”

          “And I will. It threatens all five of us, so I’m waiting for the other two to arrive before I explain.”

          “Not good enough!” Milagro yelled, snapping Damian’s laptop closed to get his full attention. “I only have so long before my parents start wondering why I’m not home right now. So you need to start talking, fast!”

          “And I will! But this isn’t something the five of us can take on individually! We need to take it on as a team!” He snapped right back.

          “Just tell me what it is!”

          The bedroom door opened, halting their argument as Suren joined them. “What’s all the yelling?” He asked with a large yawn.

          “I was just explaining a few things to our new companion.” Damian explained. “Suren, this is Kid Lantern. She’ll be joining us along with Maya. Kid Lantern, this is Suren, an old friend of mine.”

          “I’m surprised you have friends.” Milagro noted to Damian, extending a hand to Suren which he regarded for just a moment before placing his own hand over his heart instead of shaking it.

          “A pleasure.” He smiled at her despite the  girl’s obvious confusion over the gesture.

          “Suren isn’t exactly from around here.” Damian filled her in.

          “From about five hundred years ago, actually.” Suren continued his thought. “I'm sorry if I didn’t shake your hand, I’m a little uncomfortable touching woman who I’m not related to or going to marry.”

          “Time travel. Nice.” Milagro nodded. “Though, wait, if you’re from that long ago, how do you even understand us?”

          “Magic.” The boys said in unison.

          In another few minutes Jon and Maya arrived, coming in through the window just as Damian had earlier.

          Perfect. All five of them in one place. Now they might actually stand a chance. Either that or Damian had just herded all of them into the slaughter house. Suddenly he realized his mistake, the apartment seeming less like a safe house and more like a death trap. Too late now. He had to tell them about the Demon’s Fist, had to give them their best chance.

          “So, Robin, what’s this all about?” Maya asked as they settled in, sitting on nearby stools or counters where there was room.

          “I’ve come across information on the Demon’s Fist. They’re a crack team put together by the League of Assassins. And we’re their graduation project.” He explained, setting up the usb drive’s information to holo-project so they all could see it. “They’re not your average assassins either. They’re meant to be Ra’s Al Ghul’s most elite assassins; and they’re led by none other than the current Heir to the Demon.” He pulled up the only picture of Mara he had, her face obscured by her demon mask.

          “I thought you were the heir?” Suren asked, brow scrunching in confusion.

          “Hold up.” Milagro cut in. “You were part of the League of Assassins?” She had only heard about the league through older heroes, and she wasn’t exactly looking forward to dealing with them.

          “This is news to me too.” Jon frowned at Damian. It did, however, explain a lot about Robin.

          “Thank you, Suren, for throwing that right out there.” Damian sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose in frustration. This was going well. He had hoped that his friends wouldn’t share that fact with the other two. Perhaps Suren didn’t quite understand why Damian would want that fact hidden. “Yes, I was once Heir to the Demon, before I ran away from them and to my father, Batman. I am not part of it currently and I’m also one of the Demon Fist’s targets. In fact, I’m Mara’s target specifically. Each member of the Demon’s fist has chosen their target carefully, someone who will properly test their skills. You’re all being targeted, each for different reasons. If we take them on together-”

          “Yeah, enough, I’ve heard everything I need to.” Milagro cut him off again, heading for the door. “I’m flying my happy butt right back to Texas and my brother and I can handle-” She opened the door only to stop dead in her tracks as noticed the human wall standing in the way. Stone. “...this.”

          The other four were up in an instant, Damian drawing his swords as Jon vaulted the table and chairs in order to pull Milagro back as her ring activated. Just in time, as Stone brought his hands up and crashed them down onto the ground in giant fists. The entire building shook with the force sending Milagro and Jon careening over the couch. Damian was the first back on his feet, leaping over a fallen Suren as he rushed the assassin.

          “Nobody! Get the others out of here!” He ordered, sword meeting his opponent's forearm with a grating thud. He saw Stone’s other hand coming down ontop of him and dodged just in time to realize he hadn’t been what Stone was aiming for. A second hit to the floor destabilized the building, cracks running up the walls as the floor trembled and crumbled in sections. Before Damian knew it he was being pulled back by Maya as Milagro formed a bubble around them all. The building came down around them, debris and dust obscuring their view outside the bubble.

          “What about the other people in the building?” Jon asked, hands pressed to the green walls as he watched in horror. An entire apartment building. Gone.

          “There weren’t any, thankfully.” Damian told him. At least there was some good news. “The building was being condemned anyways. Batman was two weeks from cleaning out the safe house anyways.” He, along with everyone else, had his eyes glued to the world outside as the dust settled underneath them and Milagro lowered them to the ground. “Don’t undo the bubble just yet. We didn’t see where Stone went.”

          “That’s the one after me, isn’t it?” Milagro frowned. “I only saw a glimpse of the target list when you had the hologram up. But I read it right, didn’t I?”

          “Yes. His name is Stone, and I doubt the rest of the Fist is very far away.” Another moment of nothing but sirens in the distance and Damian signaled for Milagro to drop the bubble. “Be prepared to redo it.” He warned.

          Stepping out of their safety, Damian listened carefully to the noises of the city, eyes searching for any sign of their attacker or his team. He heard it for only a second, the faint whistle of a bolt flying, but moved just in time to catch it before it reached his neck. “Show yourself, Mara! Or is all Grandfather taught you is how to hide in the shadows?” He called out, dropping the bolt.

          “You want to see me, cousin?” The girl, no older than Damian himself, stepped out of the shadows, the rest of the Fist following, as she removed her demon mask, revealing the scar he had left her with. “I suppose it’s only fair that you look upon your handiwork, the last thing you’ll get to see.” She threw the mask aside, charging at Damian, swords drawn.


	6. Demon's Fist Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys I just wanted to let you know I posted a very brief summary of the timeline this takes place in. You can find it on my works page here on AO3 under "It Came From Beyond The Source Wall". More information can be found at agentcarolinainthemorning.tumblr.com/tagged/it-came-from-beyond-the-source-wall.

          The Demon’s Fist. Five highly trained kids. That’s what they were. This big threat that Robin was so paranoid about. Kids. Just like them. Before Milagro had time to process any of it their leader was rushing for Damian. She jumped to action, raising her ring to form a wall to block her. It was barely up for a second before her focus was broken by the fist that smashed into her, knocking her into a large piece of concrete debris.

          “KL!” Jon was already up, flying to tackle Stone only to be plucked out of the air and thrown violently to the feet of Plague who grinned down on him like a cat who caught a mouse.

          “Thank you, Stone, dear.” She sang, reaching down for him. Jon was quick enough, rolling out of the way and taking off for the sky again to survey the whole scene. By this point an entire fight had broken out between the two teams. It was getting hard to keep up with who was fighting who. Nobody was struggling to hold onto an exposed pipe as Nightstorm tried to suck her into a crushing vortex of wind. Damian had locked blades with his cousin. Milagro was trapped under one of her bubbles as Stone pounded away at her. Not to mention the mage boy who found himself cornered by what seemed to be an Albino wolf. This was bad and getting worse. He had to do something! A glint of metal in the moonlight brought Jon’s attention to the whistle around Damian’s neck. Goliath! It was a better plan than hanging around and trying their luck against the Fist. Jon headed into a nose dive right as Mara and Damian pushed off of each other and ripped the whistle off his friend’s neck before taking right back off for the sky, lips around the silver instrument.

          Nothing.

          He blew again.

          Still nothing.

          He moved to try one more time when something knocked straight into him from behind. He careened for the ground screaming, his attacker’s arms wrapped around him and burned straight through his jacket. It felt like his skin was melting away from his body, he couldn’t think, couldn’t move. Just. Scream.

          A scream Damian heard. This was bad. He was hoping he had been wrong, and that Plague’s metagene wouldn’t be enough to break Kryptonian invulnerability. He had to stop fighting defensive now, Jon was hurt, in danger. And it was his fault. He feigned an attack to Mara’s side, making an opening just enough to deliver a swift kicked to her head. She reeled back, leaving him enough time to drop a foam grenade, encompassing her. It wouldn’t be long before she hacked her way through the hardened foam but he couldn’t worry about that now. He raced for Jon, using his grappling wire to trap Plague against a piece of piping. That’ll last even less time than the foam he encased Mara in but that didn’t matter. Jon mattered right now. The boy was writhing in pain, red hot burns blistering his skin in the shape of hands. The burns were worst on his chest where she had grabbed him to pull him to the ground but there was also one on his back and left arm. He was in no shape to fight and a survey of his other allies told him the others weren’t fairing much better. “It’s ok, Superboy. I’m getting you out of here.” This was his fault. He took his whistle back from Jon, blowing on it as hard as he could. In the matter of seconds red wings blocked their view of the sky as Goliath landed close enough to block Damian and Jon from anyone else. “Goliath, get Jon somewhere safe.” He ordered. “I’ll catch up.” The beast certainly was gentle enough as he took the boy and fled. Now Damian just had to worry about the others. Plague was already out of her restraints but didn’t attack Damian. He wasn’t her prize, and she wasn’t about to steal Mara’s. Luckily, Mara was still hacking her way through the foam. That left Stone, Blank, and Nightstorm. Two were easy, another set of foam grenades and the shapeshifter and elemental were captured next to Mara. Stone however…

          “Suren, can you bind him?” Damian asked, trying to find an opening between Stone and Milagro’s fighting. Milagro’s attacks were too wild, trying to match Stone’s strength but she was failing to match his accuracy. It’d be hard to get between them. If he tried he’d probably be knocked away and the last thing he needed was broken bones right now. Neither he, or Maya, stood a chance of stopping the fight. That left Suren.

          “I can certainly try.” Suren frowned, trying to think of the right spell.

          “Hurry, it’s only so long before the others free themselves.” He was still keeping an eye on Mara, getting more anxious the closer she got to freedom.

          Suren didn’t need the extra pressure, he hadn’t done a binding in a while, and he was struggling to remember the exact spell. Ok, if you can’t remember textbook spells, improvise. He had at least learned that much from Zatanna. How is it she does her spells? Right. Backwards. “dniB mih!” In nearly an instance magical bindings reached from the ground and trapped the giant, despite his enraged pulling against the restraints.

          “Kid Lantern!” Damian called to her. “We need to get out of here, catch up with Goliath!”

          “On it!” She swooped by them, catching the other three in a glowing green net as she took right back off for the skies, scanning the horizon for the big red beast as the net changed to a ski lift to make it more comfortable for her passengers. “How did they find us so quickly?”

          “They’ve been tracking us for weeks, months possibly.” Damian explained, fiddling with the whistle around his neck as he worried about how long it would take to find Goliath and Jon. “They saw us all in one place and couldn’t pass up the opportunity.”

          “So this is your fault, surprise surprise.” Milagro grumbled.

          “Hey! That’s not fair. Robin was just trying to help.” Maya snapped back at her. “If it wasn’t for him we wouldn’t even know about the Fist.”

          “And yet he seemed to serve us all up on a silver platter.”

          Damian would have said something in his defense but she was right. He should have sent forewarning to all five of them, kept them apart until they were sure of a plan. Technology at his fingertips and he hadn’t even considered just sending a text message. Why didn’t he even consider that? He just thought they’d get together and be able to defeat assassins who have been training since they could walk? He wasn’t Dick, or Tim. No one liked him, or even trusted him. He should have brought this to Young Justice or the Titans. Let them deal with the threats to Jon and Milagro. Zatanna could have handled the one targeting Suren. But then what about Maya? She didn’t have a team. She didn’t have someone looking after her. All she had was...him.

          “Once we catch up with Jon we can regroup. Talk about what to do next.” Damian said after a long while, hand fidgeting with the silver whistle around his neck.

          “You have a plan then?” Maya asked.

          “Something like that.” A plan? Not exactly. His plan was to retreat. Milagro was right. She and her brother could handle Stone. Everyone had someone who could help them with their respective Fist member. Everyone but Maya. And Damian was going to be damned if he let her get hurt by this.


	7. Demon's Fist Chapter 7

          It wasn’t too long, maybe an hour or so, before they found the giant red demon bat perched atop a church tower in a small town, near the coast of Pennsylvania. He seemed to be waiting for them because the moment he spotted the glowing green girl against the night sky he launched himself towards them, circling them a few times in the air before flying away towards what looked like a barn.

          “He seems happy to see us.” Maya noted with a smile as they all touched down, immediately going to hug the beast.

          Damian didn’t bother continuing the discussion, pushing past all of them and into the barn where Jon lay, passed out from pain. His fault.

          “I thought that S-shield meant he was invulnerable, like Superman and Conner?” Milagro asked, joining Damian in the barn.

          “Plague’s power rots everything she touches, no matter what, it seems.” He explained, reaching into his utility belt for bandages and painkillers. “He’ll heal, he’s just not used to feeling this much pain.”

          “And you are?”

          “I’ve lived a life without invulnerability. I’ve also been run through with a sword before. Pain and I have come to an understanding. Superboy has been fortunate that he hasn’t had to.” He worked while he talked, dressing Jon’s wounds for him before standing and turning to Milagro. “You and Maya should go flying and search for a nearby town, this Barn must belong to someone which means there’s a town nearby. Keep your heads low while there, see if you can find somewhere to buy us all dinner. We’ll regroup once we’ve all eaten and figure out our next move.”

          “And what will you and Suren be doing?” She crossed her arms.

          “Watching over Superboy. Suren has magic and can use it to start healing Jon and I’m the one with the most fighting experience. It makes sense that we stay here to protect him.”

          She didn’t seem happy about it but at least she wasn’t arguing as she turned to storm out of the barn. That left just him and Jon, one of which wouldn’t remember these next few moments. Damian took a moment, sitting next to his...friend?...rival? He wasn’t sure what his relationship was with Jon. He certainly doubted that Jon regarded him as a friend, probably thought of him as an occasional annoyance. Someone he had to put up with because their dads insisted on it. And here he lay, injured, skin burned and scarred. Damian’s fault.

          “You’ll never hear it from me while you’re awake so I’ll say it now. I’m sorry.” He whispered to the sleeping boy. “I’ll make this right. I promise.” He moved, pulling pen and paper from his belt before scribbling down a quick note, slipping it into Jon’s hand where he’d find it when he wakes. That taken care of he left the bard just in time to see Milagro’s green glow vanish over the skyline, Suren sitting on a hay bale as he watched the girls leave.

          “What now?” He asked when he noticed Damian standing next to him.

          “Do what you can to heal Superboy, if you can’t heal him then alleviate his pain best you can.” Damian instructed, handing him clean bandages and a burn salve. “I’m going to go patrol around us with Goliath. The Demon’s Fist can’t be too far behind us, I want to make sure they don’t surprise us.” Lies, but Suren didn’t have to know that. In another few moments Damian was in the air with Goliath, flying away from the barn, away from the States, over open ocean. He’d be long gone by the time anyone realized what he was doing. He’d wish for Maya’s forgiveness for this stunt but, really, he didn’t think he was worthy of it.

 

          The girls returned in an hour or so, Suren too focused on his healing spell to notice until Maya snapped him out of his trance.

          “Sorry.” He muttered, rubbing his eyes. “Healing spells aren’t my forte, I’m afraid the injuries are still going to scar.”

          “You did what you could, now you should eat.” Maya smiled, handing him one of the wrapped burgers from their take out bags. “The only place open this late at night anywhere near here was a 24/7 diner, it’s probably not the most gourmet food any of us have had but it’ll work. Where’s Robin?”

          “He left to patrol the area soon after the two of you left. Is he not back yet?” Suren frowned.

          “We didn’t see him when we were coming in.” Maybe he just went a little further? It was nothing to worry about. Damian would have told her if he was planning something else. Right? She didn’t have much longer to think about it as Jon started to wake up, trying to sit up only to wince as it aggravated his injuries. “Slow down, boy of steel.” Maya gently helped him up.

          “What happened?” He asked, a hand going for the bandages only to have Maya pull them away. “I remember the earthquake, and the Fist attacking us. I tried to call for Goliath but-...” He trailed off, frown creasing his face.

          “You got hurt, welcome to the life of us mortals.” Maya teased softly. “Robin should be back soon, we can plan our next move then. Until then, I suggest we all get sometime to eat.”

          “Good idea.” Jon admitted, readjusting so he could sit more comfortably. It was then the note fell from his hand, bringing his attention to it. “What the…?” He paused, picking it up and unfolding it; Maya leaning over to peak.

          “That’s Damian’s hand writing.” She said before snatching it from him so she could read it out loud. “I realize, now, that it was a mistake to bring us all together. I have left to bring an end to this all. By the time the sun rises, you will all be safe to returned home. Maya, don’t follow.”  She finished, crumpling the letter. “Dumbass. He knows I’m going after him.”

          “How are we going to find him, though?” Milagro asked. “It’s not exactly like he drew us a map.”

          “No, but he did tell us exactly where he’s going. He wants to stop this he’ll go to the source. His grandfather. You four up for a trip to the headquarters of the League of Shadows?” She was already up, not bothering to wait for an answer until she was at the door and noticed the others hadn’t moved. “What are you all waiting for?”

          The other three exchanged a glance, seemingly thinking the same exact thing. “We’re not going.” Milagro spoke for them all.

          “Excuse me?”

          “Superboy is still injured, Suren has spent the last hour or so healing him and must be exhausted; and honestly, I need to head home and explain the situation to my brother and the other Titans on our team. Besides, Robin told us not to follow him.”

          “So you just leave him out to dry?” Maya snapped loudly. “Returning to the League is the last thing Robin  _ wants _ to do; but he’s doing it anyways to save us!”

          “To save us from a mess he made worse by getting us all in one place!” Milagro was quick to yell back.

          “He makes one mistake and suddenly you’re ok with letting him throw his life away? Some hero you are!”

          “I didn’t ask him to do this!”

          “That doesn’t change the fact that he’s doing it for you! For all four of us!” Maya screamed louder this time, voice echoing through the rafts of the barn causing a nesting owl to leave its perch. There was a moment of silence as the other three avoided eye contact with her. “I can’t believe this. You’re all just going to leave him to the wolves.” She shook her head, disgusted with them, as she turned on her heels to leave. “Then be cowards. Be selfish. I’m going to go save him.” With that she left, hands busy on her wrist computer as she summoned her plane.


	8. Demon's Fist Chapter 8

          Damian saw the twin peaks of Infinity Island break the horizon as the sun rose behind them. He could feel Goliath slowing, fighting to return to the island. He wasn’t any happier about this than Damian. He landed a good ways away from the complex. There was no way he’d be able to reach it without being spotted, no doubt his grandfather had already noticed his approach. That was not the reason for the distance. He turned to Goliath with a solemn frown, hands reaching to pet the beast’s head, soothing his fur back until he couldn’t hold back anymore and hugged onto the demon. Part of him had resigned itself to this fate, facing Infinity Island was apathetic acceptance. But then there was the part of him that had been growing these past years as Robin, what he dared to call his soul; it recoiled at the thought of returning to his place under Ra’s thumb. He wasn’t even sure if this would work. He was betting his life away, hoping it would mean peace for Maya and the others. But, there was hope. Damian had never been one for hope; but he had grown to...appreciate it. 

          Finally he released Goliath from the hug, rubbing his eyes for a minute to stave off the urge to cry. He was stronger than that. “Get out of here Goliath. Go back to Gotham, or Maya, I don’t care. Just leave.” He said solemnly. Goliath didn’t move. “I said go!” I screamed, loud as he could, pushing Goliath away. Finally the beast seemed to get the hint, reluctantly flying away. That was it then. He was on his own. He took a deep breath, pushing his fear, uncertainty, and trepidation away, before he started his trek towards his Grandfather’s palace.

          He didn’t have to go far before he could feel himself being watched; assassin eyes all around him and yet not a single one moved to stop him. They were just watching, waiting, curious to see what the former Heir was doing here. Without a single barrier to stop him, Damian reached his the palace, being greeted by a servant who led him the rest of the way. By the time he reached his Grandfather he had managed to push his emotions away almost completely, taking a knee in front of the Demon’s Head.

          “You win, Grandfather. I’m yours.”

 

          Milagro sat near a barn window, watching, waiting for the sun to rise. She wanted to go home. And yet, there was that gnawing feeling, was she really so willing to just leave Robin out to dry; to let him throw his life away to the League of Assassins? It wasn’t like she had asked him to do it...but that didn’t change the fact that he was still doing it. Maybe Maya was right...maybe she was a coward. She had left El Paso with Robin because he had spun a story of her brother and the other Lanterns not trusting her enough, and here she was so ready to run back to them the moment things got a little tough. Ok. Maybe a lot tough. She still remembered the way the ground shook under Stone’s fists. He was...terrifying.

          “You look like you’re thinking exactly what Suren and I are.” Superboy’s voice snapped her out of her thoughts, bringing her attention to him as he joined her by the window.

          “Good to see you up and about.” She tossed him a smile, making room for him on the hay bale.

          “Suren has me all patched up. I guess it’s a good thing Kryptonians aren’t immune to magic.” That at least got a chuckle out of Milagro before the two lapsed into an uncomfortable silence, her thoughts turning back to Robin and the League of Assassins. “I feel guilty.” He added finally. “We shouldn’t have let Maya and Damian go alone.”

          “You weren’t in any shape to go after them.”

          “I am now. What’s stopping us?”

          “Common sense?” She offered.

          “I don’t know about you, but common sense never really meshed well with the idea of wearing a cape and flying head first into danger anyways.” He gave her a soft smile, standing again and offering her a hand. “I’m going after them. I’d like help, if you’re up for it.”

          “Is Suren with you on this?” She didn’t take his hand, instead looking over to the other boy across the room.

          “He’s worried he’s running out of energy for his spells, but thinks he’ll be fine by the time we track the other two down. He’s not too happy about letting them go off either.” Jon explained, having yet to put his hand down. It was almost like he was testing, seeing if she would make the right choice in his eyes. He almost seemed sure that she would. Maybe it was that confidence that made Milagro reach for his hand, allowing him to help her up.

          “Ok, Boy of Steel, you’ve convinced me.”

 

          Maya Ducard was not a hero. She refused to think of herself as one, despite the company she keeps. Jon was a hero. Even Damian was a hero, though it seemed like she was the only one to realize it most days. Her? She was a mercenary; and she was good at what she did. She helped people, for a price. Some might say that made her just as bad as the people hurting them, but a girl had to make a living somehow. She wasn’t a hero, but she’d be damned if she let Damian throw his life away. This wasn’t being a hero, it was being a sister. She was maybe halfway across the ocean before a bright green streak shot straight past her only to slow and match her speed. Maya gaped out the window at the girl as she pointed to her ear, signaling her to pick up on their comm signal.

          “I didn’t think you were coming.” Maya said the moment they could hear each other.

          “You can thank Superboy, he’s the one who talked me into it.”

          “Where is he?”

          “Catching up. He’s not as fast at flying as I am yet.”

          “And Suren?”

          “Getting a piggy back ride from Superboy, I didn’t want to get weighed down while trying to catch up with you.”

          "So, the gangs back together.” Maya let herself smile, relieved that she didn’t have to face the League of Assassins on her own. “Do we have a plan?”

          “How’s, Don’t Die, for a plan?” Milagro asked nervously.

          “Well, I think it’s more than Damian had when he started for Infinity Island.” Maya admitted. “I’ll text you the coordinates for Infinity Island, fly ahead and do some recon for us. It’ll be easier for you to go unnoticed than me.”

          “On it.” Milagro nodded before shooting off ahead towards the horizon.

          Maya could feel her spirits lifting as she continued towards their objective. She wasn’t alone anymore, and who knows; they might even stand a chance now.


	9. Demon's Fist Chapter 9

          Damian had never thought he’d be back here, taking a knee in front of his Grandfather. He could almost see the shock and betrayal on Grayson and Drake’s faces. Or...maybe just Grayson. Drake had never thought but of Damian anyways. Regardless, here he was. Another pawn on his Grandfather’s chess board. There was silence in the hall as Damian waited for a response, Ra’s pondering the offer. He knew exactly what Damian’s game was. This wasn’t a lost boy returning to family, this was The Son of Batman being self-sacrificial. Oh how Damian Al Ghul had fallen. Damian held back a wince as Ra’s dug his fingers into his arm, hauling him to his feet, pulling him out of the room so quickly Damian could only stumble after him.

          “You thought it would be that easy? Bow down and be spared? You wound me, Damian.” He scoffed, not breaking stride for even a moment as Damian started trying to pull his hand off of him. “You betrayed me. You left me. Just like your aunt and your mother. You ran to your father. He and Richard corrupted you, ruined all of the work I put into sculpting you to be the perfect heir. And now you return, not because you wish to but because your  _ friends _ -” he spat the word-“are in danger. You are weak, and you are no good to me weak.” They reached a room at the end of the hall, Ra’s throwing Damian ahead of him and pushing him into the sparring dojo. “I will accept you back at my side, back as the leader of the Demon’s fist, on one condition, Damian. You want to save your friends so badly? Trade your cousin’s life for theirs. Prove you are still an Al Ghul. Do what need to be done to reach your goal. Only then will I belief you are worthy of returning to me.”

          Damian wished he could say he was surprised, but this was Ra’s Al Ghul. He wasn’t an idiot, and he wasn’t trusting. Damian knew he had to prove himself but...he had promised his father, promised Grayson. Maya’s life was on the line. He had to. “I’ll fight her, but you will call of the Demons Fist until the battle is over.”

          “Done. Stay here.” Ra’s commanded, stalking out of the room, leaving Damian with nothing but his thoughts. Mara’s life for Maya’s. He couldn’t say the idea wasn’t at least appealing. He had no attachment to Mara, and she wanted him dead far more than he wanted her dead. It wasn’t like, if he did it, he’d have to worry about Grayson or his father’s backlash. They’d probably be quick to damn his actions, disown him, leave him to rot. He clutched at the whistle around his neck, heart pounding as he started to realize just what he was doing here. Perhaps he always knew it would end like this, back in his Grandfather’s clutches. He remembered watching traitors to the league being dragged in front of Ra’s before their execution; people who had dreamed of freedom from a life bathed in blood, only to find their freedom at the end of a blade. Damian would be spared that fate thanks to his relation. He almost wished he wouldn’t be.

          The more he fiddled with the whistle the more his brain started turning, trying to figure a way to win this situation. Not just win the fight, but win everything. Have his cake and eat it too, so to speak. He had a few tricks up his sleeve that hopefully his Grandfather didn’t know about. There was a chance. Was he willing to risk Maya’s life on it? Possibly.

 

          He was left for another thirty minutes, barely enough time to prepare, but it’d have to do. When the servant came to lead him to the duelling grounds, Damian had his batarangs treated and stowed back in his utility belt, he was as ready as he could get. If this didn’t work he might have to actually kill his cousin, or...he might get himself killed. Both were entirely possible at this point. Either way, this ends. He followed the servant to the dueling grounds, ready to face whatever fate awaited. He spotted Mara first, her angry glare was impossible to miss, on the other end of the rink. She seemed eager, like a cat waiting to pounce on her long awaited prey. Ra’s stood on a platform to the side, eyes glued to his grandson as he entered the room. Damian kept his eyes forward, meeting Mara’s gaze. This was it. The fight she had been waiting for since they were old enough to know resentment. This wasn’t a sparring match. This wasn’t training. She was going to be aiming to kill. Damian was sure he could beat her if he was aiming to do the same thing. Fighting against his nature, trying not to kill, it was like fighting with a handicap.

          Ra’s signalled the start of the fight and Mara’s blade was drawn in a second. She rushed for him, giving Damian only moments to draw his own blade for a block. He pushed her back, landing a kick to her exposed torso. She wasn’t so easily stopped, grabbing his foot and pulling him off balance she brought him easily to the ground. Damian rolled onto his side, narrowly missing the sword blade that was aimed for his face. He pushed himself up, turning to slice through her defenses just too late to see the blade coming for his eye. He couldn’t dodge in time, pain cutting through and knocking him back. He couldn’t help but stop, hand going to his eye to wipe the blood away. He blinked, testing his sight. Good, he could still see, even if it hurt. He looked over to Mara who was recovering from her own surprise. Seems like she wasn’t planning to actually succeed in getting a hit in.

          “Look, cousin, we match.” Mara spat. 

          “And yet I’m still the better looking one.”

          She let out an angered war cry, charging for him again. He blocked her with ease this time, turning her blade and using her own momentum against her. In another swift move his sword had cut through fabric and dug into the flesh of her arm. She didn’t know it yet, but the fight was over. Another few breathes and she was stumbling, her attacks getting sloppier and sloppier. In the next minute he was on her knees, struggling for air, before finally collapsing. Damian knelt down, seemingly checking for a pulse, before straightening and turning to his Grandfather. “The fight is over. The true Heir To The Demon has returned.”

 

          Milagro wished she could say she was surprised by what she just witnessed. Robin returning the league, killing his cousin. He didn’t even look bothered by what he had done. He seemed passively bored by it even. As he left the dueling grounds he spotted her peeking over the building roof. She thought she was done for in that moment. He was going to call the guards, or deal with her himself. But he simply turned away. Milagro wasn’t taking her chances. She raced back to meet up with Maya on a nearby island. At this point Jon and Suren had caught up, which was good. She wasn’t going to want to retell this story. She watched their faces as she explained what happened, none of them taking it any better than she did except-

          “We can still save him.” Maya turned to her jet, ready to go.

          “Didn’t you hear what I just said?” Milagro chased after her. “He  _ killed _ the head of the Demon’s Fist. He doesn’t want to come back. He’s made it pretty clear where he’s standing.”

          Milagro didn’t even see her fist coming until it connected with her face, knocking her back onto the ground. Maya loomed over her, a dangerous look in her eye as she closed the space between them, Milagro scrambling to keep out of her reach. “I said it before and I’ll say it again. Robin is only there because he sees it as the only way to save us. He killed Mara, probably, because Ra’s made him. If I hear you talk bad about my little brother one more time I am going to shove that ring so far up your ass we’ll be able to use your eyes as flash lights! Do I make myself clear?” Her voice sounded like thunder and Milagro, who rarely felt fear anymore, knew what terror was in that moment. Once Maya was satisfied that she was going to stay quiet she turned to the boys. “Anything you two want to say?” She snapped. Both of them shook their heads so fast Milagro was afraid they’d snap clean off. “Good. Either go home or come with me. I’m not sitting around here debating it any longer.”

          “We’re with you, Maya. But how are we getting in? Other than you, none of us can really do stealth. Especially not stealth good enough to fool the League of Assassins.” Jon was quick to point out.

          “There has to be a way in somewhere.” Maya frowned. “Suren, can you magic us up a solution?”

          “Magic isn’t an automatic fix for everything. I can’t just snap my fingers and fix all of our problems.”

          Maya stood there for a moment, frown creasing her face, as she struggled to think of a solution. There had to be some way to get to Damian. “Milagro. You said there was a dead body, right? Suren, you know the Al Ghuls better than anyone here. What do they do with their dead?”

          “Depends on the dead. If she was disgraced I can’t imagine The Demon’s Head would want her buried close. But she’s also blood. The very least she’ll have is the proper burial procedure, then, maybe, buried off the island? At least that’s what my father would do.”

          “And the proper burial procedure is?”

          “I don’t know! The Al Ghuls and the Dargas are not the same family. As it is the Al Ghuls are from Arabia. My family came from the Ottomon Empire about a hundred years  _ after _ Ra’s came to power. If he’s following Islamic burial procedure her body with be bathed, shrouded, prayed over, and then buried. But I don’t exactly see The Demon’s Head as a god fearing man, so I don’t know what his traditions are.”

          “There goes that idea.” Maya grumbled to herself.

          “How about this,” Jon cut in. “I fly you low, under the radar, onto the island. You stay in com contact with us and sneak around with your chameleon circuit running. Once you find a way in for us Kid Lantern and I can fly Suren over and the three of us will join you.”

          It was as good of plan as any, and certainly better than anything Maya had come up with. “Alright. Let’s do it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have got to stop posting these at 2am. Oh well, that's when I get my best writing done. Also, everything Suren just said about where and when the Dargas are from is headcanon because it was never touched on in the comics. Also I had to good Islamic burial practices. I tried to be accurate and respectful but I don't know if I was. If I wasn't please inform me and I will try my best to fix it.


	10. Demon's Fist Chapter 10

          Maya could feel her heart racing. Invisible or not, she was surrounded by people who made a living out of knowing their surroundings. A single one of them could hear her footstep, smell her sweat, notice mirage her chameleon circuit left behind. She was good but she sincerely doubted she was League of Assassins good. She was doing well enough that she found the servant’s entrance. No one gossiped more than servants, she hoped that this rule held true even with the League of Assassins. The moment she learned where Damian was she’d head for him. She just didn’t want to spend the entire day searching the compound. The less she moved around the less likely she would get caught. She kept herself close to anywhere servants congregated, ears peeled. They didn’t talk nearly as much as normal servants; mostly they just scurried about with their heads down. Almost like they weren’t servants but...ok that was a problem she’d have to come back for. One problem at a time. Finally she heard where Damian was as one of the servants ordered another to bring fresh tea up to Damian’s rooms. She followed him, carefully and as silently as she could manage, heart pounding in her chest as she passed an assassin in the halls. She was getting a little too close for comfort, but if it meant saving Damian she’d just have to deal with the anxiety. They reached the room and Maya waited as the servant knocked, slipping quickly through the door before the servant closed it behind him. She hadn’t expected to find Damian sitting in the dark, candles lit in front of him, in a lavish room. Then again, she wasn’t exactly sure what to expect. Regardless, she didn’t make a single move, other than to edge closer to a darker corner, until the servant had placed the pot of tea on a nearby table and left.

          “I told you not to come.” Damian spoke before she even had a chance to decloak herself. He didn’t look at her, or even open his eyes, his voice so quiet she barely caught it. “Don’t decloak, but step over here so we can talk.”

          She did so, taking a seat next to him. “You don’t sound surprised that I’m here.”

          “I saw Kid Lantern when I left the dueling grounds. She’s lucky no one else did or she’d be dead.” With her closer now he lowered his voice even more. “Keep your voice down. My Grandfather isn’t such a fool that he trusts me. I wouldn’t doubt it if there’s someone listening in on the room.”

          “Will they hear us?”

          “Not if we stay quiet.” Damian reassured her. “Regardless of what my not said, it’s good that you’re here. I ran into a snag with my plan and am running out of time to rectify it. Grandfather has Mara’s body in the lower levels of the compound being prepared for burial. I need you smuggle her out before the drug I used during the duel wears off.”

          “So you didn’t kill her?” Maya sounded almost relieved. She knew Damian wouldn’t break that promise, now she could shove that in Milagro’s face.

          “No, I used a similar compound to what Lex Luthor used on Grayson when the Crime Syndicate had his heart hooked up to a bomb. It slowed her heart long enough to fool anyone checking for signs of life but it won’t last forever. I’m worried about possible side effects, but it was the only way I could think of getting out of that duel without breaking my promise to Father.”

          “I’ll get her out, Damian. Promise. But what about you?”

          “I need to stay here. After her body goes missing Grandfather will suspect me. That, and I need to keep the Demon’s Fist away from you four. For now, I play the good little soldier.”

          “That isn’t fair, Damian.” She protested as loudly as she dared. “You can’t just throw away your freedom for us. We didn’t ask you to do it.”

          Damian was silent for a long moment, a brief hiss of air escaping his teeth as he let out a sigh. “I will find a way out of here. I promise. But right now, the important thing is that you and the other three are safe from the Demon’s Fist.”

          Maya frowned, not liking this at all. But, one problem at a time, she needed to get Mara away from Infinity Island before Ra’s realizes Damian pulled the wool over his eyes. “I’ll come back for you when I can. I promise.” She reached over, giving his hand a gentle squeeze, before getting up to leave. It felt wrong, leaving him like this.

 

          Mara Al Ghul woke with a splitting headache, gasping for air, in a dark room that smelled strongly of burning incense. Her arm ached, but that seemed to be the least of her worries. She remembered fighting Damian, the feeling of satisfaction as her blade came inches away from carving out his eye. And then, nothing? Her world had gone black. The fight was over. She should be dead. And, judging by the room she was in, everyone else thought the same. She sat up, getting her bearings, as a hand reached out of the darkness to pull her back down, covering her mouth.

          “Hello, Mara. I’m Maya.” Mara heard in her ear as a knife came to her throat. “You and I are going to be leaving, and if you try anything to stop this I’m just going to have to let Suren take care of you. You know how much the Dargas hate the Al Ghuls, right? I’m sure he wouldn’t mind testing a few spells out on you.” A bluff. Suren wasn’t that cruel. But Mara didn’t need to know that.

          “Oh, I’m so scared.” Mara sneered, bringing an elbow back into Maya’s gut as she grabbed for the knife. Maya wasn’t that easily caught off guard. She endured the hit, gritting her teeth as she regained her breath, and pushed Mara forward into the nearest wall. A swift kicked delivered to the girl’s head knocked her right out.

          "Well. I was hoping to have her walk out of here, but I guess I’m going to need a pick up.” She sighed to herself, pulling up the comm signal on her wrist computer. “Hey, Superboy. I’m going to need a pick up. I’ll drop you the coordinates once I know I’m clear of any assassins.”

          “You found Damian?” Jon’s voice crackled over her ear piece.

          “Yes and no. I’ll explain it once we get to the others.”

 

          “So let me get this straight.” Milagro started as Maya and Suren worked to make sure Mara wouldn’t be trouble when she woke up. “You go to a heavily guarded island to sneak one Al Ghul out, but you come back with another one who we all thought was dead.”

          “That about sums it up, yes.” Maya rolled her eyes, tying Mara’s wrists together maybe a little too tight.

          “And Robin didn’t actually kill her but he’s staying with the League anyways because he doesn’t want us to die.”

          “Yup.”

          “And now we have a very much not dead Al Ghul and no plan as to what to do with her.”

          “KL, calm down. I have a plan.” Maya told her, straightening out as she finished binding Mara. “But, it doesn’t involve you three.”

          “What?” Suren frowned.

          “No! You’ve gotta be kidding!” Jon stood up in protest. “We’re in this mess because Robin wanted us to work as a team. And we’re only here on the other side of the planet because he changed his mind. But I don’t see why he did. We can work as a team if we just take a moment to plan. We know who we’re dealing with now, and we know where they are. Best yet, we have the element of surprise. If Robin has called the Demon’s Fist back to Infinity Island, the last place they’re going to be expecting us to show up at is Infinity Island.”

          “You’re suggesting we storm the castle?” Milagro frowned. “That sounds like a terrible idea. And what would we even do if we managed to survive that? We’re not about to kill the Demon’s Fist.”

          “We might not have to. We can get them out like Maya got Mara out.”

          “That required me knocking her out and Ra’s Al Ghul thinking she’s dead.” Maya was quick to point out. “I can see what you’re planning, Superboy, but I don’t think it’ll work.”

          “Then what’s your plan?”

          “Send the three of you home and wait out here for Robin to send me a message.”

          “We’re not going home.” Jon shook his head. “Robin is our friend too.”

          “Yours maybe.” Milagro rolled her eyes, causing everyone to turn their attention to her. “Look, I just met the guy. But...if Superboy is staying then I’m staying. I just need to call my family and let them know I’m ok. Lord knows what sort of panic attack my disappearing has set them into.” The last time a Reyes kid disappeared her dad had a heart attack. She didn’t want a repeat incident.

          Maya sighed, honestly a little thankful for the company as she waited this out. “Come and go how you want, I don’t know how long it’s going to be until Damian sends word. Or if he’s going to. I’m making camp with stuff from my jet, but we could be here for a while. And I know you all have lives outside the hero work.”

          “I don’t.” Suren noted.

          “In which case Kid Lantern and I will be a call away if you need us. But for now, we’re staying at least the rest of the weekend.” Jon looked at Milagro for an agreement, smiling when she nodded.

          “It’s settled. Boys, start setting up camp. Kid Lantern, I’m going to show you how to tune into my specific comm channel so we can keep in touch once you and Superboy leave.” Maya started barking orders and they rushed to fill them. They better get a head start now while they had the extra hands.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I've started setting some stuff up for a later reveal in this fic over in another fic on my account called Thrush. You don't need to read that one but it might get a little confusing later after this story arc.


	11. Demon's Fist Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I tried to knock the arc out in one final chapter. Unfortunately it just didn't happen and I needed to cut the chapter here. ONE MORE CHAPTER and we should be done with the establishing arc and start introducing the REST of this Titans team and get on with the over arching story. Yay!

          Maya waited for Mara to wake up, casually lounging against her jet. She wondered what Damian’s plan was, how he possibly expected to get out of this one. Mara was a key to it all, by now Ra’s would be aware of her disappearance. She severely doubted he could track them here but that wasn’t what was bothering her. She wasn’t equipped to hold a League of Assassins member. They were better than Houdini when it came to escaping. The moment she woke up they were going to be in trouble. Suren could bind her, but even he’d get tired and have to break the spell eventually.

          Time for planning was over the moment Mara started to wake up, sitting up as she realized she wasn’t on Infinity Island anymore.

          “Welcome back to the world of the living, Princess.” Maya greeted her, tossing her a bag of beef jerky; survival food she always kept in her jet. “Eat, we’re gonna be here for a while.”

          “You may be.” Mara scoffed, scrambling to her feet, reaching for a weapon she thought was stowed in her tunic. “Where’s-”

          “At the bottom of the ocean, you can thank Kid Lantern for that one.” Maya explained. “She and I searched you over and took all your little tricks, threw them away accordingly. So, you gonna eat that jerky or should I save it for later?” She asked casually.

          “You kidnapped me!”

          “You tried to kill me.”

          “No, I tried to kill Damian. Nightstorm was the one who tried to kill you.”

          “Semantics. Point is, you’re not exactly the best person in the world and you wouldn’t even be in this position if it wasn’t for you and your friends attacking us.” Maya shrugged, picking the jerky off the ground, dusting the sand off of it. “You’re going to be here for a while, Al Ghul. Best learn to put up with me while you can.”

          “Or, I could kill you, take your jet, and then expose Damian for the traitor he is.”

          “Jet has a safety shut off. Without me behind the pilot’s chair it’ll blow up the moment you try to take off.”

          “Ra’s will find me.”

          “Ra’s couldn’t care less.” Maya rolled her eyes. “You were a replacement, a place holder. He never wanted you to be Heir To The Demon.”

          “What would you know about that?”

          Hooked. Maya was good at finding someone’s weak points, knowing what it was that kept them up at night. Mara’s was the fact that, no matter what she did, she just couldn’t match up to Damian. “Think about it. Who was Heir before Damian? His mother right? Before her it was Nyssa. Nyssa betrayed the League and was disowned, so it was Talia after her. So, how come Ra’s let Damian be Heir instead of his mother who was far more experienced and capable?” She asked, Mara falling silent as she could find an answer. “And then there was her dad. Albino, wasn’t he? Undesirable to be Heir To The Demon, but perfect to be a worthless pawn. Damian was the first viable Heir Ra’s has had in generations. Tell me, which of you is older? You, or Damian?” Maya kept her eye contact as she continued on with her thoughts, Maya’s expression going from anger to defiance. 

          “I am. By a month.” 

          “And yet he was Heir. You were shoved aside. So, if it’s not age that determines the line of succession, what does? Damian, just by being born, was made Heir before you and Talia. I don’t know what that sounds like to you, but it sounds to me like Ra’s doesn’t care who was born first if they don’t have the right equipment between their legs.”

          “That’s not-”

          “Isn’t it? If it hadn’t been for the fact you were born female and him male you would have been Heir. It isn’t the fact that you’re not as good as Damian. It’s the fact that, in Ra’s Al Ghul’s eyes, you can’t measure up. Ra’s isn’t looking for you. You’re unimportant to him, especially now that Damian is back at his side.”

          “What’s your point?” Mara snapped, not even denying what Maya was saying.

          “My point is. Damian left the League for a reason. He realized he was nothing but Ra’s pawn and he wanted more. If you want to get out from under his thumb, now is your chance. He thinks you’re dead. You can leave the League for good now.”

          Mara didn’t say anything for a long moment, realizing that Maya made a very good case. She had always known she was Ra’s tool, not his granddaughter. This could be her chance to rid herself of the League. But where would she go? What would she do? Her entire life had been spent in Damian’s shadow, climbing the endless latter to the pedestal Ra’s had set him upon. Could it be possible for her to be anything but second best?

 

          Damian knew, no matter how ancient his Grandfather actually was, that the League of Assassins stored all their information on a computer. He just had to get to it without the pair of guards Ra’s assigned to watch him. Honestly, it’s not like he couldn’t rid himself of them easily if he truly wanted to. But he saw them for what they were. Another test. There would be little hope in taking care of them and making it off of Infinity Island without being captured. There were just too many people for even Damian to deal with. Ra’s didn’t trust him, which was entirely fair considering Damian was planning to betray him the first moment he got. Damian was maybe being a little impatient. He hated being back under Ra’s thumb, living under his rules. So long as he was obedient Ra’s would soon relax his grip. The problem would be waiting that long. The longer he was here the more risk he was in at tipping his hand. If Ra’s found him out things could only end badly.

          One night on Infinity Island and Damian could already feel himself going mad with impatience. He knew the move he had to make, and he knew how to make it. The problem was getting the opening to make it, and getting the remainder of the Demon’s Fist to trust him. They were already untrusting people, given their upbringing, but now that Damian had effectively cost them their graduation they were even less willing to listen to him. He could always peek their interest, get them to find the proof themselves. It could work. But they knew him, well, the old him. They had been his team once before. He had been an insufferable bastard back then, and he doubted that Mara was any better to them. To show them a hand extended in friendship would be seen as weakness, not to mention suspicious to Ra’s. He couldn’t play this like who he was now, he had to be the boy he had been. Everything Grayson had taught him to be needed to be pushed away, every instinct of his to help needed to be extinguished. Here he wasn’t Damian Wayne. He wasn’t Robin. He was Damian Al Ghul and he needed to remind the Demon’s Fist of that while also managing to manipulate them to the point where they would hack into the League database for him.

          The perfect opportunity was coming up fast as the next day broke. He needed to talk to them anyways, make sure they found new targets for their graduation. It was well within his right to make them rechoose now that he was, once again, leader to the Demon’s Fist. He had called them all to the training room he had been using near noon, not a one looking happy to see him. That wasn’t at all surprising but it didn’t matter in the slightest. Especially, considering, not a single one opened their mouths when he turned to them.

          “What? No questions?” He asked coldly, staring down each and every one of them.

          “Yeah, I’ve got one.” Nightstorm was feeling brave enough to speak up. “Why should we listen to a traitor like you?”

          “Because Ra’s Al Ghul demands it. Anything else?” It was a good enough reason for Nightstorm to step back into line.

          “Where’s Mara?” Stone asked.

          “Six feet under by now, I suspect.”

          “Her body was stolen last night. Eyes are pointing to you, Damian.” He narrowed his eyes but Damian didn’t move.

          “I have no reason to want Mara’s body taken. A corpse is a corpse. It’s only place is below ground.” Damian was a good liar, that hadn’t changed during his time away from the League. If anything, he had gotten better at it. He kept eye contact with the behemoth, not breaking it once. “Besides, she was a disgrace, not surprise seeing as who her father was. She didn’t deserve a proper burial.” Cruelty, snobbery, cold, calculating. He was being everything an Al Ghul was expected to be. “Now then, I didn’t call you here so we could play 20 questions. You’re all to pick new targets for your graduation. The four you picked are off limits.”

          “You’ve gone soft.” Stone scoffed under his breath.

          “I’ve learned what loyalty means, something scum like you would never understand. I am still perfectly willing to kill you if I need to, or did I not prove that with Mara’s demise?” He snapped, upper lip curling into a snarl. “I realize none of you ever knew the legacies you were  _ supposed _ to carry on-” he chose his words carefully- “So, you would not understand why I left to begin with. However, I am back now, and I am your leader. You will do as I say or I will let Grandfather take care of you.”

          There was silence for a moment before Plague spoke up. “What do you mean by the legacies we were supposed to carry on?”

          Hooked. “I misspoke.” The key to being a good liar is knowing when to be a bad one. “Obviously none of you were meant to be anything more than Grandfather’s puppets. Don’t believe me, you can look at your own life history in the League database on your own time. You’re dismissed for now. Return before dinner with your new target selections.” He spoke as he brushed past them, catching Plague’s curious glance. She was catching onto something, but was it what he needed her to or was she still ultimately clueless?

 

          Plague was curious to say the least. An Al Ghul doesn’t slip on his words that easily. He meant for them to hear that. Legacy. He wanted them to know something, but wasn’t going to tell them. Typical Al Ghul cryptic nonsense. Regardless, she would play along for now. Before dinner, after getting her new target approved by the little demon, she made her way to one of the compound’s computer rooms. She wasn’t being watched, she was a favored student, why shouldn’t she be allowed to access the database. Her brother, Blank, didn’t seem thrilled with the idea of her snooping but she paid him no mind. She moved to the nearest computer, carefully sitting in the chair as not to actually touch it with her hands.

          “Computer. Bring up all files on the Demon’s Fist.” She ordered, clearly annunciating. She waited as the computer brought up every file, pictures, mission statements, training records. She carefully read through every word, looked through every picture. “He was right.” She breathed as she realized exactly what had been stolen from her. In another moment her brother was at her side, changing out of the mouse form he had been in just a second ago.

          “What are we going to do about it?” He asked.

          Plague frowned, sitting back in the chair as she thought, anger bubbling inside of her as she thought of the life that had been taken from her and her brother. “Go find the other two, we all need to talk. They won’t believe Damian, but they’ll believe us.” In another second Blank was back in the form of a mouse, dashing for the small hole in the wall under the desk, traveling through the inner labyrinth that no other assassin could even get to. He’d reach the others before Plague could cover their tracks in the computer, erasing any evidence they had been there.

 

          Damian was settling in after dinner, busying himself by running through his basic forms as he waiting to see if any of the Demon’s Fist had taken his bait. This wasn’t a battle to be won by force or swords. He needed to be patient, pull the right strings as they presented themselves. Strategy was the key. He’d wait however long he needed to, but given the look Plague had exchanged with him when he met with the Demon’s Fist, he wasn’t going to have to wait long. Before the sun had even fully set there was a gentle knock at his door. Now came the challenge of communicating with them without giving himself away to any listening ears. The training room he had used earlier was good for that, the walls thick enough that no one could listen through them.

          He quickly moved to let them in, stifling his surprise at seeing all four of them had come. Either this meant he was in trouble or Plague had convinced them all. He was hoping for the latter. “What is it?” He asked, making sure to sound offended that they dared intrude on him. After all, until he was sure they were on his side, he was an Al Ghul and he needed to act like it.

          “We need to talk.” Blank said in a low voice. “But not here. There are ears all around you, but we can make it to the training rooms before they can. It will buy us a few minutes to speak.”

          Good, they weren’t nearly as dense as he thought they were. Outwardly Damian simply nodded and stepped into the hallway to lead the way. They made it down the hall before Damian noticed their tail, and if the other four were worth their salt they did too.

          “Blank, can you take care of them?” He asked without missing a step or even looking towards the older assassin. “Just get rid of him, don’t kill him.”

          “If I do either it will raise suspicion.”

          “I don’t plan to be on the island for much longer, do you?”

          Blank had to admit, he had a point. As Stone stepped a little closer behind him to obscure the tail’s view. In another second Blank was gone from everyone’s sight, turning into a garter snake and slithering between their feet and towards the tail. He was careful, keeping near the baseboard of the wall to avoid being seen before turning into a tree snake, climbing the wall and dropping onto the man. The struggle was minimal as he wrapped himself around the man’s neck and cut off his air supply, careful not to completely crush the windpipe. Once he dropped to the ground Blank released him, rejoining the ground that had made it to the stairs in his absence.  “I think we’re alone, for now.”

          “Good. I take it you all have learned the truth?”

          “Plague checked it on the computers. We’ll help you escape if you help us.”

          “That was the plan.” Damian nodded. “First step from here, we need to steal a jet.”

          “All the jets can be tracked. We wouldn’t make it to the mainland from here before the League catches up to us.” Plague protested.

          “If this is going to work, you four need to trust me.”

          “We’ve never trusted you.”

          “Which is part of the problem now. I can’t explain every part of my plan as we go, but I can promise you that I know what I’m doing.” He didn’t miss a step, not even bothering to look back to see their reactions. He knew they would be skeptical, distrusting, but he needed them to listen to him. When none of them stopped following him he assumed they were, for now at least.

          They made it to the hanger with no incident, which just set Damian more on edge. There was no way no one noticed them moving, or found the body Blank left behind. No time to ponder on the possibilities of being caught, stopping ensured their defeat. Once he was sure everyone was on board it was as easy as taking off and setting the autopilot, keeping an eye on the controls to ensure they hadn’t been hacked. Problem with computers and dealing with double crossers.

          “Where are we headed, Damian?” Blank asked, joining him in the cockpit.

          “I told you, we don’t have time for que-”

          “We have time.” He insisted boldly.

          Damian sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose. He was right, of course, Damian just wasn’t used to explaining himself. Especially not to League of Assassin members. He wasn’t even entirely sure he should trust the five of them. But if this required their trust in him, then it needed to go both ways. “Very well. We’re rendezvousing with Nobody, she’s camped on an outer island of this chain. With her jet and Goliath we should have enough means of transportation to scatter. I can drop you four off wherever you think you’ll be safe from Ra’s.”

          “Is there anywhere safe from him?”

          “Despite what my Grandfather would like you to believe, he’s not omnipotent. Once I scan you for tracking devices it’ll be hard, though not impossible, for him to find you again. I don’t recommend going back to your families.”

          “I’m not sure they would take us anyways.” Blank admitted.

          “Take it from someone who’s died and came back. Your parents will be happy to see you alive. The problem is, you’ll be putting them in danger too.”

          “If the files the league had are correct, Plague and mines family should be able to handle themselves. Plenty of royal guards and all.”

          “You know how many people have said that just to meet the end of a league blade?”

          “Point taken.” Blank frowned. “Alright, not going home. Just yet, at the very least.”

          An idea occurred to Damian, not that it was a good one but it certainly was an idea. “The world could always use more metas on the side of good.”

          “Like you?” Blank scoffed.

          “First, I’m not a meta. Second, I’m only on the side of good because it keeps my Father and brother happy.”

          “Which doesn’t explain why you would come back to the League so easily.”

          Damian forced himself not to shoot him a glare. “I did the logical thing when faced with a problem I can’t fight.”

          “So you admit you can’t win against us?”

          “One on five? I could take you all with my hands behind my back. But the other four are not nearly as trained. I can’t fight you and protect all four of them. I’m good, but I’m not perfect, yet.”

          For a moment Blank examined Damian silently, unnerving the boy. “You certainly have changed. I’m just not sure if you’ve realized yet.”

          “Excuse me?” This time Damian did glare at him but Blank didn’t let it stop him from explaining.

          “The Damian we knew would have never sacrificed himself for others, or admitted to needing to protect others. Not to mention, you’re being awfully trusting with me and the other members of the Demon’s Fist.”

          “Your point, Blank?” Damian hissed.

          “No point. Just trying to predict where this is going.” He shrugged, standing up from the co-pilot seat. “We’ll see.” He left to join the others.

          Damian shook his head, shoving the conversation away from his thoughts for the moment as he tried to contact Maya. They were on their way, and trouble wasn’t far behind.


	12. Demon's Fist Chapter 12

          Maya was surprised, to say the least, when she heard Damian’s voice over the comm system. “You sure made quick work of escaping.” She said, turning her attention away from Mara and to her own Jet’s computer. The other three were situated over closer to the camp, talking amongst themselves. She’d let them know Damian was on his way once she got done talking to him.

          “You know me, I don’t waste time. Do you have Mara?”

          “Yup, how long until you’re here?”

          “We’re inbound now.”

          “We?”

          “Me and the rest of the Demon’s Fist.”

          Now that sounded like trouble. “That doesn’t so-”

          “It’s fine. I may not trust them as far as I could throw them, but they have just as much of a reason to leave the League as I do. Their wanting to kill you four wasn’t personal, it was what they felt they had to do.”

          “And what about Mara?”

          “Hers was personal, and something I’m going to have to deal with when I get there.

          “How soon?”

          “Look east.”

          Maya frowned, looking up and east. The sun had set a good hour ago, what was she supposed to be looking for in the black of night? In another few seconds she saw what looked like a star, moving, straight for them.

          “If you could turn your jet’s lights on for me, so I know where to land, that’d be immensely helpful.”

          She quickly switched the lights on, watching for the jet’s arrival as the others joined her at her jet. “Done and done.”

          “Good, we’ll be landing in another five or ten minutes.”

          “What’s going on?” Jon asked.

          “Robin’s inbound, he needed to see where to land.”

          “Already?”

          “What can I say? The kid works fast.” Maya shrugged, looking over their shoulders for a minute to make sure Mara was still exactly where she left her. “Just a warning, he’s coming with the rest of the Demon’s Fist.”

          “Excuse me?” Milagro’s jaw dropped. “What’s he thinking?”

          “He’s giving them a second chance. The same second chance he, Suren, and myself have been given.”

          “And we’re supposed to trust them?”

          “To be honest? I’m not sure. But, I trust Robin.”

          “What if The Demon’s Fist is tricking him?” Suren asked.

          “Robin isn’t easily tricked, you know that. But, if they are…” Suren had a good point. This could go terribly wrong. They were relying on trusting people who had been trying to kill them not even 24 hours ago. “Superboy, I want you keeping a close eye on Mara as they come in. Any wrong moves from her you fly her far away from here, another island if you have to, and drop her. The Demon’s Fist isn’t going to be much without their leader. KL, stay close to Suren he’s going to need cover if any fighting starts. Suren, start remembering some of your offensive spells. But nobody make the first move. I don’t want to aggravate the situation if they are sincere.”

 

          Damian’s eyes scanned for the headlights, watching them switch on in the distance. Good, he at least knew where to land now. Problem was he was still landing in the dark without a proper runway. He was almost surprised this was going so well. With a half baked plan full of areas where everything could go wrong, he had made it further than he thought he would. Apparently the key to beating his Grandfather was to wing it. He was just about to start their final descent when alarms started blaring loudly in the cabin before the entire airship shuddered.

          Blank came rushing into the cabin, followed by Nightstorm. “What’s going on?”

          Good question. Damian’s eyes fell to the radar for a brief second. “Nothing on radar, we still have altitude but losing it quickly.” Damian rambled on, checking all the equipment as the plane shuddered again.

          Blank and Nightstorm both jumped in, checking everything they could, figure out where the alarm was coming from. “One of the wings is damaged.” Nightstorm reported. “I can fly out there and see what our radar can’t.”

          “Something is trying to shoot us out of the sky.” Damian said, bracing himself against the pilot's chair as the plane shuddered once more. “Regardless of  _ what _ it is, we need to get out of here before we crash. We have parachutes, the four of you evacuate, I’ll try to land the plane so it doesn’t blow up over my team.” When neither boys moved Damian pushed them out of the cockpit. “Go! Unless you want to go down with the ship too!” That seemed to get their attention and spurred them into action. Damian was left alone at the controls, fighting to keep altitude and steer away from the island where his friends were camped. He stood a chance, he could do this, he could-

          Pain exploded in the back of his skull, vision blaring white as his breath escaped him. He acted before he fully recovered, training kicking in as he grabbed for the attacker, flipping them over his shoulder and slamming him into the control panels. He felt his attacker slip through his hands with ease and without his eyesight returning and the alarms blaring Damian stood no chance. He stumbled out of the pilot’s chair, room spinning as his vision pulsed, and scrambled for the exit. The plane was crashing, he was alone with an unknown assailant, and he couldn’t see. His only chance was to try and parachute to safety. Assuming he could find the parachute, that is.

          Something closed around his throat, dragging him backwards and onto the ground. Damian fought still, kicking at the attacker, spitting, biting, pulling at his hands. Finally, last ditch effort, he reached for a batarang and stabbed blindly. Warm blood splashed Damian’s face, the grip on his neck releasing. He didn’t waste any time, scrambling to his feet. He was in bad shape and the attacker wasn’t going to be slowed down for long. He could waste time finding a parachute, or, he could jump and hope Maya and Jon had their eyes to the sky.

          Shaking hands found the comm in his ear and activated it. “M-Maya,” He choked out, throat bruised. “I-” His headache was getting worse, halos forming over lights, heart pounding, lungs burning. He was close to the dock, if he could just make it there. The hatch was in sight he just had to…

          The world went dark for a second and the next thing Damian knew he was falling through stars and fire, a white hawk diving above him.

 

          “Robin! Robin, are you there?” Maya stammered over the comms, watching the plane that was supposed to bring her brother to safety careen off path and crash into the ocean. “Damian!” No! No! No! He had to be ok! He had to be! She switched her mask on, turning to her nightvision and searching the skies for him. There! “Jon! Can you catch him?” It was more of a plea than a question and Jon didn’t even wait to answer, launching from the beach and flying fast as he could for his friend. In a blur of blue and red he caught Damian who fell limp in his arms, eyes struggling to stay open.

          “N-nice...catch…”

          “Happy to help.” Hovering, Jon scanned the sky for more survivors but was met instead by the deafening beat of helicopters. A spotlight fell on him and he held onto Damian tighter, diving down, away from the copters as the light followed. Bullets sprayed at them, Jon shielding Damian as he tried to swerve out of the line of fire. “Maya, we’ve got trouble! Three helicopters.”

          “Do you have Damian?”

          “He’s alive but in bad shape and we’re coming in hot. Take cover.” In another two seconds he was skidding to a stop, trying to gain purchase on the sandy beach, bullets landing around them. He raced for cover of the tree line, his only thought on keeping Damian alive.

          They were pinned down, trapped behind trees that splintered on impact from the bullets. “Maya, we need help.” No response came over the comms, only the sound of helicopters overhead. They were in trouble, big trouble. Jon could help the others but that would mean either leaving Damian alone or dragging him into a battle he wasn’t able to fight. He ducked into the nearest cover, pulling Damian’s cape over both of them as the spotlight shined through the trees, searching for them. He waited, heart pounding in his ears as the light passed over them and the beating of the helicopter faded. He could still hear the ringing of guns on the beach but around him was silent forest. “Damian, you alive?” He whispered, sitting back up.

          “...barely.” Damian muttered, carefully sitting up and holding his head. “We need to get to the beach, the others will need help.”

          “You’re in no shape to fight, you look like a strong wind could blow you over.” 

          “Doesn’t matter. I brought this on all of us. I thought I could save us.”

          “You thought you didn’t need our help, that we needed yours.” Jon corrected. “Ever think for a minute that we all needed each other’s help? You called us together because you thought we couldn’t take the Demon’s Fist on our own, and you were right. But you can’t take them on your own either. We need to work as a team. You’ve gotten us this far, now let us carry our own weight on this team.”

          Damian didn’t have an argument against that, mainly because the ringing in his head made it nearly impossible to think straight. “Fine. You go to the beach, lend a hand and give me cover to get to Maya’s jet. If you and KL can take out the helicopters they won’t be able to follow us when when we retreat.”

          Jon scoffed. “Even with a concussion you’re thinking faster than us. Just don’t die.” He muttered before taking off for above the canopy.

          Damian carefully made his way for the tree line, ears peeled for any signs out of usual for a night time forest. His head was still swimming but his vision had improved. He just needed to get to the jet, start it, and call Goliath. The others could handle the rest. He made it to the beach, seeing the helicopters had landed and his friends, and the remainder of the Demon’s Fist, were fighting League forces on the ground. All except Blank. It didn’t take Damian long, even with a splitting headache, to figure out it was Blank who gave him the concussion. Hell, he might have even taken down the jet himself. What did surprise him was to see Mara locking blades with an assassin. Seemed she and Maya must have had a good chat while he was away. He’d deal with that later. He made a break for the plane, nearly touching it when something collided into him. He felt teeth dig into his arm as he saw the albino wolf, a sickening crunch coming from his bones. A scream escaped him, he grabbed for a batarang, gouging it into the Blank’s shoulder and dug until it released him. Rolling onto his stomach and regaining his feet he drew his sword, watching as Blank turned back human, gasping, holding the batarang in his shoulder.

          “You’ll live.” Damian spat. “What I want to know is why. Why betray us, and your sister?”

          “My sister. She’s dreaming of a new life, a family that will accept us. She’s a fool. No one is going to want us anymore. Disfigured, rotting, broken. We knew our place before you put the idea of family in her head. Ra’s will take us both back if I drag you home.”

          “You didn’t need to go to your family. You could have gone anywhere, you could have been free from Ra’s!” Damian screamed. “You threw that away!”

          “I chose to survive in reality, not live in a dream.” Blank said calmly before pausing for a moment, head tilting as though he were listening to instructions, before a smile formed on his lips. “But you’ll have to excuse me, Damian, I have a new mission.” Damian could barely blink before white wings beat and lifted sand into his vision. He watched in horror, unable to do anything as Blank took Goliath’s form and started straight for Mara. He plucked her with ease, dragging her off back towards Infinity Island.

          “No! Mara!” Damian took off sprinting, not paying attention as the assassins retreated. He brought his whistle to his lips, calling for Goliath as loudly as he could. He had to stop this. He didn’t need to listen in to Blank’s comms to know why they’d want Mara. He didn’t need to guess. Ra’s Al Ghul was bitter and petty and when he realized he couldn’t win, he’d make sure Damian regretted it.

          He heard the beat of Goliath’s wings before he saw him, reaching up to grab onto the first tuft of fur that touched his hand and hauled himself onto the beast’s back. Blank may have Mara now but Damian could still catch them. He spurred Goliath to fly faster, standing on his back as they tailed Blank. Closer. Just a little- There! Damian launched himself from Goliath’s back, stretching for Mara’s hand. He miscalculated. Their fingers brushed and his stomach dropped as he began to fall for the ocean below.

          “Damian!” Mara’s voice was lost in the wind and sea mist as he plunged into the waves, back stinging from the collision. He floated for a moment, body recovering from shock and pain, before the need to breathe forced him towards the surface. He could see Blank in the distance, a white dot against the black horizon. There’d be no way of catching him now. He failed.

          Goliath flew by, plucking Damian from the water and headed back for the island. The helicopters retreating over head. Damian thanked every ethereal force he could think of that his friends were still alive when they reached the island, as were the remaining members of the Demon’s Fist. Maya rushed him the minute he landed on shaky legs, wrapping him in a tight hug.

          “You scared me half to death, asshole.” She scolded, squeezing tighter before releasing him. “Are you ok?”

          “Damaged pride, fractured forearm, concussion, and a new scar over my eye. I’ll be fine.” He muttered tiredly, leaning on her for a moment.

          She gave him a small pitying smile, brushing wet locks from his forehead before looking back to the group of young heroes and assassins. “Hey, it wasn’t a complete failure. We’re alive, and the League is minus three of their more powerful members.”

          “Blank can still go after Suren. We’re going to need to keep him close. And Ra’s has Mara again. Though, after her recent failures she won’t be in a place of honor as an Al Ghul. I don’t know what he plans to do with her other than lord her over me.”

          “We’ll worry about all that once we’re home in the states.” She told him, wrapping him in another hug.

          “I have a good place for us to go then.” Damian started, pulling from the hug and climbing onto Goliath. “We can hide Suren there while the three of us plan our next move.”

          “Five.” Jon corrected him as he and Milagro joined them. “KL and I are in this too.”

          “Have you talked to KL about that?” Damian raised an eyebrow. “Last I checked, she doesn’t like me much.”

          “Not really no.” She admitted. “But you brought me onto this team for a reason. And, I have to admit, this feels more like a team than my brother’s Titans group. At least none of you guys are likely to act like you’re babysitting me.”

          Maya smiled, watching the team fall into place. “Well, then, Robin. Where’re we going?”

          “We’re dropping off the Demon’s Fist wherever they want to go, and then it’s off to New York. I think it’s time we get the original Titan’s Tower running again.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welp, first story arc is done. I'll admit climaxes are not my strong suit but I tried. Also updates may slow down a bit after the next chapter or so as I wait to see how much comic book stuff I'm going to have to rewrite for members I'm hoping to bring in soon. It shouldn't be too long of a hiatus if one does happen, just two months or so. In the meantime I'll be writing some other parts of this timeline. Including, hopefully, collabing with my friend for the Zero Chance and Batman Beyond parts of this timeline. So here's hoping.  
> First Arc Stats:  
> Time Writing: 4 months and 14 days (from 01/02/17 to 04/16/17)  
> Tim Passed: 3 Days  
> Words: 19,252  
> Chapters: 12  
> Comments: 28  
> Bookmarks: 8  
> Kudos: 42  
> Hits: 903


	13. Team Titans Chapter 13

          Titans Tower, New York City; once home to the original Titans after Nightwing split the team from Young Justice. It stood, glittering, untouched, over the city. Abandoned after the city’s mayor decided superheroes were too dangerous for New York City, the Titans moved their base to San Francisco but the original tower stood as a memorial for Titans lost. And, unfortunately, there were a lot of them. That was the danger of being a hero. It being abandoned just meant it was the perfect place to land, heal, and hide for the moment.

          Stale air hung heavily as Damian switched the Tower’s power back on, lights lighting the hauntingly empty corridors and living spaces. Damian led them to the main room, glad to see that the original team had left some furniture for them to rest on. Now there was just the matter of stocking the pantry and fridge and getting a computer up in running.

          “Home sweet home, for now.” Damian told them as his friends made themselves comfortable. “Kid Lantern, Superboy, you two should head home. It is Sunday now, your families are probably worried about you.”

          “I called mine last night after Maya got back to the island, told them I was spending the weekend with a friend.” Milagro explained. “Mama wasn’t too happy on the short notice but let it slide.”

          “Ma and Pa are probably worried…” Jon frowned.

          “What not Big Blue?” Maya asked.

          “Superman’s busy a lot. Between his secret ID and League work he’s not home much.” Jon shrugged it off, not fooling at least two people in the room with his casual tone. That was a story Maya was going to have to get out of him eventually.

          “Come on, Robin, we’ve got some time to relax after what we all just went through.” Maya told him. “We’re tired, none of us have slept a full eight hours in the last two days and plenty of us have scraps and bruises from this recent adventure. Yourself included. How’s that eye treating you?”

          “Better than my arm and head.” He admitted, pulling his cape to make sure it was hiding what he was certain was a black blue and purple mess by now. He didn’t need them worrying about that, he could handle it on his own. “But you’re right, stay as long as you like. There’s plenty of room and I doubt anyone would think to look for you here.”

          Just then, as though it were the universe sending all five of them the biggest middle finger imaginable, the Zeta Tubes fired up.

_           “Superman, 01.” _

_           “Batman, 02.” _

_           “Zatanna, 25.” _

_           “Blue Beetle, T22.” _

          “No one huh?” Milagro groaned, considering for a moment leaving so her brother couldn’t lecture her immediately.

          In another moment the kids, minus Maya who was standing back to see the train wreck happen, we're all considering the closest escape route as their respective mentor and/or family member came into the room.  
          "Alright," Superman started.  
          "Explain." Batman finished.  
          "Oh my God, they're finishing each other's sentences. Robin, Superboy, are your dads dating?" Milagro's tongue worked faster than her survival instinct. It took her a full two seconds to realize what she had just said as the rest of the room waited in stunned silence, Jon looking the most uncomfortable out of everyone in the room. “Well…I guess I’ve dug my grave deep enough for one day, I’ll just be leaving.”

          “Oh no you don’t,” Jaime was quick to grab her, holding her in place. “You are lucky it’s me here and not Mama. You know how much trouble you’re in?”

          “How much trouble all five of you are in.” Zatanna corrected.

          “Five? I did nothing wrong!” Maya protested.

          “You aided and abetted.” Superman was quick to point out, Jon slowly inching away from the group. “Not only did you five total an apartment complex but you also went on a joy ride to the middle of the Indian Ocean.”

          “I’m more interested to know  _ why _ they were in the Indian Ocean.” Batman added.

          “There was a situation.” Damian said plainly.

          “Not good enough, Robin.”

          “We handled it.”

          “Your arm says otherwise.”

          Damian frowned, resituating his cape to hide the swollen mess. “I’ll be fine. Not like you would care anyways. Not like any of you would care.”

          “Watch yourself.” Batman warned.

          “Why? It’s not like I have to see you very often to worry about upsetting you. You’re gone most days and all nights. Nightwing is more involved than you seem to even want to be. And, Superman, you keep Jon at arms length at best. One would have thought you learned your lesson with the last Superboy. Zatanna, you go and do your shows, leave Suren all on his own in a loud foreign city. Sure you’ve taught him a few magic tricks here and there but for the most part he’s left alone. And don’t get me started on the Blue Beetle who spends more time babysitting his sister than letting her learn like she’s supposed to be doing. You all claim to want the best for us but you barely put in any effort to figure out what the best is.”

          “Enough, Robin!” Batman raised his voice, stopping Damian’s tirade in it’s tracks. “You four are not adults. You are not lone heroes. You can’t leave whenever you want. You can’t take the world on by yourselves.”

          “It wasn’t by ourselves!” Damian protested. “We worked as a team and we got the job done!” He may be leaving out the part where he worked solo and got bit in the butt for it but his father didn’t need to know that.

          "So....what?” Blue Beetle spoke up. “You decide to drag people who aren't as trained and who have families that worry about them into your hare-brained scheme? Right. Because that's smart."

          “He didn’t drag us in!” Milagro protested, raising her voice at her brother. “And I’m not untrained! I’ve had this ring for three years now! You just refuse to let me use what I’ve learned!” She was hovering now, fist balled as she screamed at him.

          "Three years of training doesn't mean you get to run off half-cocked, Mila!" Jaime frowned. "Especially when you don't tell us where you're going!"

          “There wasn’t time! If I had told you what we were doing you would have stopped me! We needed to handle something and we handled it! And might I point out, that none of us died and only two of us got hurt. I think we did ok!”

          "So you decided to lie to us? Mama nearly had a heart attack when she called to tell you you had forgotten something only to find out you weren't there!" Jaime was trying really hard not to raise his voice. "Nobody knew where you were, or what you were doing, or if you were still alive!"

          “Believe me, it would have been worse if she knew what I was doing.”

          “Which brings me back to just what you five were doing in the Indian Ocean.” Batman interjected again. “So close to a League of Assassins base.” He added, eyes falling on Damian.

          Damian sighed, he knew he was going to have to explain sooner or later but he had been hoping to have time to process everything that happened before he had to explain himself. “The five of us were being targeted by members of the League. It was my idea for the five of us to handle it ourselves, without people looking over our shoulders.”

          “You should have brought this to us.” Superman told him.

          “We handled it just fine without you, not like either you or Father were free to help us. If you’re not going to be here when we need you don’t pretend to care.”

          “Robin.” Batman warned again but Damian wasn’t about to back down. “This isn’t the time.”

          “Why not?” Maya asked for her brother. “You’re the ones who came here looking for us. We’re allowed to speak our minds. Superman, Batman, how long did it take you two to notice Superboy and Robin were missing?”

          “We were on missions off world when-”

          “How. Long.” Maya interrupted Superman, reiterating her question.

          “We realized last night. Approximately five hours after arriving back on Earth.”

          “Five hours. It took you two five hours to realize your sons were missing. At least Beetle and Zatanna have excuses for why they didn’t notice or worry. If I remember right Suren left a note and KL called. We may be at fault for not letting you know we were in danger but don’t pretend you’re guiltless.”

          “This isn’t the time for that discussion.”

          “I don’t know why not. Maybe if you had been home, Batman, Robin would have trusted you with the problem to begin with. And Superboy-”

          Maya’s sentence was cut painfully short,  the sound of glass shattering tore all of their attention away from the argument as Jon shot off like a rocket from the Tower. Milagro was the first off the ground, flying after him before Jaime grabbed her hand to stop her. “Hold on, let Superman talk to him.”

          “I think you  _ adults _ have done enough talking.” She snapped, yanking her hand from her brother’s grip and turned to her friends. “You three coming with or are you going to stay and let them lecture you?” She asked, forming a platform for them to climb onto with her ring.

          There wasn’t much argument as the boys gave their guardians one final glance, or was it closer to a glare, as the they and Maya climbed on board.

          “Should we go after them?” Zatanna asked, watching the retreating green glow.

          “Let them calm down first.” Batman shook his head. “We shouldn’t have ambushed them.”

          “We were concerned, they went missing for an entire weekend.” Superman argued.

          “Let them calm down, let them talk among themselves. We’ll have plenty of time to talk to them later about what they did.”


	14. Team Titans Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was a little tricky, my betas told me it's fine so I'm trusting them.

_ February 1st, 2015. Another Earth. Another Metropolis. _

          The smell of smoke hung heavy in the air, Jon will never forget that, never forget the way his nose felt like it was burning from the inside out as he flew over the city. He wasn’t supposed to be out there, his dad had told him to stay put in Hamilton, far enough away from anywhere important. No bombs were dropped on Hamilton, no one cared about Hamilton. Which is exactly why Jon refused to be there. He could help, he  _ had _ to help. It was in his blood. He couldn’t help it after the first bomb. He had been  _ in _ Metropolis when it hit. One moment he was having lunch with his dad and the next the building was on top of him. The bomb had hit across the bay in Gotham and Metropolis was destroyed. His dad flew off in a second, trying to find Louis. She was on her way into the city from a business trip. Her plane never landed.

          Jon landed on rubble that used to be part of the Daily Planet, opening his ears and closing his eyes as he listened. The city was deafeningly quiet, the empty air pushing in on him, making his ears ring. He pushed past the ringing, trying to listen for a heartbeat, a cry, a whimper, a breath. Anything. A heartbeat reached his ears, strong and fast. Excitement overtook him and he nearly took off for it before he realized it was moving straight for him. Oh no.

          Opening his eyes the first thing he saw was the S-shield and he knew immediately how much trouble he was in.

          “Dad! I can explain!”

          “You can fly home is what you can do.” 

          “But, Dad-”

          “No buts.” He said sternly, silencing Jon with a look. “This is no place for a child.”

          “I’m not a normal child. I can help! I can-”

          “You could _ die _ , Jon!” His father’s voice thundered through the ruined city, Jon flinching away from the harsh tone. He had never heard his father so angry...or was it fear? “Go home, son.”

          “But-”

          “Go. Home.”

 

_ February 21st, 2016. This Earth. This New York City. _

          He wanted to go home. He wanted to get away from the arguing, the yelling, the fighting. He wanted to see his mom and his dad, his  _ real _ dad, again. He shouldn’t have argued, he should have gone home when he had the chance. He just wanted to help. He wanted to be a hero.

          He flew until he couldn’t hear the arguing anymore, touching down on a roof and leaning against the nearest stable wall he could find as he tried to catch his breath. He could feel it coming, the lump forming in his throat, his eyes starting to burn and his chest starting to hurt. He wanted to cry but he fought against it. He should be fine, he told himself. He made it through the entire Demon’s Fist without being scared, so why now? Why did hearing the arguing, the yelling, why did that make him so scared? Why did it make him want to run away as fast as he could?  He should be fine.

          “Jon!” Milagro’s voice snapped him out of his panic for a second long enough to register what had happened. They had chased after him, all four of them. He quickly dried his eyes on his sleeve, hoping it wouldn’t be too obvious to them, all but the boy detective, that he had been crying.

          “Sorry, I just...I needed to get out of there.” He explained as they landed.

          “Are you ok?” Maya asked softly, reaching for his hand.

          “I’m fine.” 

          “Says the boy with puffy red eyes.” Damian pointed out.

          “Says the boy with a fractured arm.” Jon retorted, taking in a few deep breaths, pushing past the fear. Why was he so afraid?

          “Jon, what happened?” Maya kept hold of his hand, a gentle reminder that she was there to help.

          “I don’t like arguing, that’s it.”

          “That was a little more than a dislike.” Damian said.

          “Look, it’s nothing. I’m fine.”

          “Jon, you can tell us.” Maya reassured him, the others nodding in agreement.

          Jon stared at the ground, hand tightening around Maya’s as he tried to decide if he really could. Damian already knew, of course he knew, he was Batman’s son. He knew everything. The others didn’t know though. It wasn’t exactly a story that Superman liked to spread. It was entirely possible Milagro had heard it from her brother who had still been part of Young Justice at the time, but he didn’t think Blue Beetle was the gossiping type.  He took another deep breath, opened his mouth, and immediately closed it. He could lie, no one would know but Damian. Damian might even keep his secret. Maya squeezed his hand again, trying to show support but really was just making this harder on him. Another deep breath, he opened his mouth and forced himself to talk. “I don’t like arguments because the last time I saw my dad, before he died, we were arguing.”

          “What do you mean? Your dad is alive, he’s at the tower right now.” Milagro frowned in confusion.

          “He’s not my dad...I’m not from this Earth.” He didn’t dare look up from the ground, holding tighter onto Maya’s hand now. “I-...I’m originally from another Earth, it had a lot like this one but with a few differences and...one really big one. There was...a lot of bad things happening, and then…” He could feel his gut clenching in on itself, trying to eat away at him. The tears were forming in his eyes but he forced them away. Not in front of the others. Not in front of  _ Damian _ . “A bomb dropped on Gotham city, the explosion wiped it off the map and destroyed a majority of Metropolis. I-...I lost my mom in that explosion, and my dad became distant. He just-...” There it was. The tears spilled over almost immediately, hand tightening even more on Maya’s as he trembled. “He just wanted to protect me but I insisted. I needed to be a hero, not because it was the right thing to do but because I wanted to prove myself. I nearly got myself killed. I should have listened to him, I should have-...” He paused again, taking deep breaths as he fought the growing need to cry. “I was on my way home after that when I heard the bomb sirens in New York City. I had to help, I didn’t care what my dad said, there were people who needed help and I could help them. But...the bombings...they kept getting worse. Entire cities destroyed, states being picked off the map one by one. There wasn’t much of an Earth left to save. I don’t know how my dad did it, I barely remember it happening, but...he must have thought that the Earth was going to destroy itself...there was no hope. He...he sent me here.” The others listened, Maya never once letting go of Jon’s hand as he fought his way through the story. “I-...I hate arguing. I hate it when people are care about are fighting! Because...what if...what if the same thing happens here? What if the last time I see everyone they’re all fighting with each other?”

          “Do you want to go back? Resolve the argument?” Maya asked gently but Jon quickly shook his head.

          “Any resolution Superman would want would be for me to go back to being part of Young Justice. I don’t want to be the second Superboy forever.”

          “So, are we all agreed then?” Damian asked. “We’re staying a team, the five of us.”

The others exchanged glances, seeing if any of them disagreed or was going to protest but instead found only the same eagerness to stay together. They’d gone through the Demon’s Fist together and their own sets of horrors on their own. They agreed, together was much more preferable.

          “What’re we going to tell the adults?” Suren asked.

          The group fell into silence, all of them trying to find a way to convince the stubborn older generation. It wasn’t going to be easy, especially with the ones like Batman and Superman who always seemed to think they know best. 

          Jon was struggling for an answer when his ears picked up a gunshot coming from somewhere in the city. “Did you guys hear that?” Jon whirled around, lifting off the ground as he tried to listen in closer. “Someone needs help.”

          “Then we can find out how to convince the parental units later.” Milagro started to hover again, forming another platform for the ones who can’t fly.

          “Titans Go!” The words felt almost natural coming from Damian as the team flew off to the city’s rescue.


	15. Team Titans Chapter 15

          Bank robbers, some of the more dangerous of the mundane criminals. Sure there were the exceptional ones like Captain Cold and Heat Wave, but most were the usual thugs with guns. Not something that calls for an entire team of heroes. Still, it never hurt to have extra eyes on the field. But, it was a good test on how well the team would go without any prior information. Damian situated himself on a roof adjacent from the bank. Thanks to his arm he’d be next to useless in an actual fight, but as a strategy coordinator, he was one of the best. He adjusted his mask’s lense to his thermals, seeing how many bodies were in the building while Superboy and Kid Lantern circled around back. Below the police and FBI were setting up the blockade, they only had so long to act before things got worse due to their incompetence.

          “There’s ten hostages in the bank, lines up against the front wall. They’re using them as a barricade. One perp in the front watching the hostages, he has a gun, and two clearing out the vault. As far as I’m aware there are no guns near the other two but I can’t get a clear picture past the vault. Nobody, the blueprints of the bank are showing me an employee entrance on the west side, there’s no one watching it. Slip in see if you can get us a better picture.”

          Maya’s stealth cloak may make her invisible to the naked eye but with thermals she was clear as day to Damian who watched as she entered into the building, careful skirting past the robber in the front and back into the vault. In two quick clean moves the robbers in the vault were left unconscious.

          “Hold position, Nobody. Suren, do you know a spell to lock doors from one side? I want to make sure the robber has no way out but KL and Superboy still need to get in.”

          Suren, who was blending into the crowd below at the moment, turned his attention to the bank’s door and in a snap of a finger locked it and all the rest leading out of the bank. “Done and done.”

          “Good, KL, keep the hostages safe in case he starts firing, Superboy can you handle the robber on your own?”

          “I got him.”

          Damian watched from his perch, a smile actually breaking through for the moment as he watched the two fly into the building. Milagro shielded the citizens, a green wall separating them from the robber who did in fact start shooting as soon as Jon swooped in, landing in front of the man to gain his attention. He walked calmly, despite the bullets bouncing off his chest as he snatched the gun from him, breaking it in his hand with ease.

          “You should surrender.” Jon told him, surprised when the man actually did put his hands up. “Good.” He nodded with a smile. “Robin, we’re done here. All that’s left is to let the officials in and let the hostages out.”

          “Suren, unlock the doors, please.” Damian leaned back, glad to see they could work as a team if it came down to it. A bank robbery wrapped up in under five minutes without a single injury. Sure, it seemed like the robbers were a little green under the belt but that was fine by him.

          Back on the ground Jon was making sure the hostages made it out to the police safely while Milagro took care of the perps.

          “Young man!” One of the hostages, a middle aged man in a suit, approached him. “You’re Superman’s boy, aren’t you?” He offered him a hand to shake which Jon politely took.

          “Uh, something like that.” He nodded.

          “Well, it’s a good thing you and your friend were here. I’ve never seen a bank robbery get resolved so quickly.”

          “There’s actually five of us, sir, and Robin is the one who coordinated us.”

          “Well you kids did an exceptional job. Are you moving into that abandoned Titans tower? I know there’s the ban but that was an old mayor who put that in place. I think we might be able to do something about that if you kids wanted to stay.”

          “We would like that.” Jon nodded. 

          “Well, I’ll bring it up at the next City Council meeting. With enough support we’ll have you kids welcomed back to the city by the end of next month.”

          “Uhm, thank you, sir. But, why would you-”

          “The city hasn’t had a vigilante in it for years now, and it’s such a large city it’s been scary for those of us who don’t quite trust the police to handle big jobs.”

          “Well, sir, the police are doing their best.”

          “Which is all well and good, and I’m sure they would have handled this just fine but there’s some big scary guys out there. Meta-powers, magic, and super geniuses. We need people like you.” The man patted his shoulder. “We’ll get you kids back into the city in no time.

          “I don’t think I caught your name.”

          “Rory Lancman, I’m on the City Council.” The man told him before letting a cop distract him to take his statement.

          Convenient. Jon took up, joining Damian on the roof. “Looks like we have an ally.”

          “I heard.” Robin said. “Politicians, he has something up his sleeve but it benefits us for now I say we let him play it out with the council. If it doesn’t work out we can set up in another city.”

          “I like New York, it’s plenty far away enough from Smallville.”

          “And Gotham.”

          “Not to mention El Paso.” Milagro said as she joined them. “But we still have the adult problem. They’re not going to be happy.”

          “Then we put our foot down.” Damian told her.

          “Yeah, that may work with your dad, but my mom would throw an absolute fit if I disobey my brother.”

          “So convince him.”

          “The only thing I’ve ever been able to convince him of is that I’m always in need of his help.”

          “We’re not going to solve anything being out here.” Jon pointed out.

          “I don’t know, kicking criminal ass is always therapeutic.” Damian shrugged.

          “As fun as that is, we do need to deal with the adults before they decide what to do without our say.”

          With a sigh Damian stood up, pulling his hood back on. “Very well, let’s go fetch the other two. We’re going to be in for a long argument. You sure you’re up for it, Superboy?”

          “You four gonna back me up?”

          “Always.” Milagro nodded.

 

          Jon cringed when he saw the missing window, jagged shards of glass stick out from it. He shouldn’t have flown off, but he wasn’t quite sure he regretted it either. They landed on the roof, unsurprised to find the adults waiting for them.

          “What, were you testing us?” Damian started, straightening his back as though there were any hope of him reaching his father’s height. Maybe it was just an instinctual need to look as confident as he possible when facing his father. “Seeing if we’d all just run away?”

          “We need to talk.” Batman said, clearly, calmly, the same intimidating calm he always used.

          “Yes, we do.” Damian agreed. “But before we do, there’s something you four need to understand.” Talking back, taking a stand; it wasn’t like he hadn’t fought against his father before. But looking back, all of that felt like an insolent child looking for any chance to rebel. This felt different. “The five of us aren’t splitting up. We’re a team now.”

          “Superboy, you and Kid Lantern already have teams.” Superman pointed out.

          “No, we have babysitters.” Milagro snapped. “We’re all teenagers now, and sure we’re not high and mighty adults, but we are old enough to know that they’re not our teams.”

          “We should talk about this separately, I think.” Zatanna said and, as if by magic, with a single look, there was no argument from any of them; and despite looking reluctant the kids let their respective adult lead them out of earshot of the others.

          “KL-”

          “No.” Milagro stopped her brother before he could say anything else. “Ever since I got my ring you’ve been hovering over my shoulder, worrying about me everytime I’m out on the field. I get it, you’re my brother, you’re always gonna worry, but you can’t worry so much that you keep me from doing my job. I can’t have you constantly hovering, fixing my problems, or I’m never going to learn how to do things for myself.”

          “I know.”

          Mila opened her mouth, ready to argue again, but she stopped. "Then-...?"  
Jaime sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I've always been right there, protecting you. I know that I need to step back."

          “I’m sensing a ‘but’ in there somewhere.” Milagro said suspiciously. She loved her brother but she didn’t think he’d let this go that easily.

          “But, you get to tell Mama.”

          As terrifying as that was- “So, you’re just letting me go? You’re not gonna try to get me to stay with the west coast Titans?”

          Jaime nodded. "I'll be keeping in touch, but....." Deep breath. "Yeah. I am."

          Milagro wasn’t quite sure how to respond to that. Given what happened earlier she was expecting more of a fight. But he was just-... She rushed her brother with a hug, clinging on tightly. “I love you, Jaime. Please don’t think this is because I don’t.”

          “Jaime held his sister close, maybe a little tighter than he should have. "I know, 'nita. And I'm sorry."

          A little ways away Superman was wondering where to start. “Jon, I think I owe you an apology.” Good as place as any he supposed.

          “You don’t have to…” Jon mumbled, fidgeting with the hem of his jacket.

          “No, Jon, I do. You came into this world scared and confused and I have done nothing to help that. I thought the last thing you would want would be for me to take an active role, given what you’ve lost. I suppose Nobody was right, I should have learned my lesson after my mistakes with Conner. But I want to make it right, if you’ll let me. I’m letting you choose. You can stay on Young Justice- I know Conner and M’gann would love to keep you on the team- or you can join the Titans with Robin and the others. I think I already know what you’re choosing.”

          “You don’t mind me joining the Titans?”

          “I’m worried you five are going to bite off more than you can chew but I trust the Titans to make sure you’ll always have back up. I’m not your father, I can’t make this decision for you.”

          Zatanna watched as the other two resolved their issues, not even sure if she needed to talk with Suren. She had no problem with him joining the Titans, she didn’t have a right to. He wasn’t her kid, not even in another Earth like Jon and Superman. So, what exactly was she supposed to do? “You sure you want to join the Titans team? I know how much you hate loud cities, New York isn’t going to be any quieter.”

          “I know, but I think I’ll be alright. And, there might be something we didn’t tell you.”

          “Oh?”

          “The Demon’s Fist member that wanted to kill me, he’s still at large. You’re not always around to look after me. I’m hoping I’ll be safer at the Tower.” He said, not exactly sure how she would react but almost sure it wouldn't be good.

          "If you're sure about this, I won't stop you. Just-...." She chewed on her lip, trying to figure the best way to parse this. "Keep in touch, okay? If something starts happening, let me know. Just in case."

          Suren nodded, considering for a moment before awkwardly extending his hand for a handshake. He still wasn’t used to that with women but at this point Zatanna was like his older sister. The least he could do was treat her with the respectful gestures she was used to. “Thank you for looking after me. I’m glad it was you Batman took me to.”

          Zatanna smiled, gently taking his hand, recognizing the gesture for what it was. “Speaking of Batman,” She glanced over at the the man and his son who looked like they hadn’t said a word to each other yet. “I’m hoping your friend Robin can convince him.”

          Batman and Robin, the Dynamic Duo, partners, a team of two. At least that’s what they were supposed to be. His father only ever seemed to want him around when he needed an extra hand on deck, when there was something he couldn’t do alone. Or, as in this case, when he wanted to tell him what he could and could not do. Damian wasn’t going to allow that. Not this time. So much for Batman and Robin, the Dynamic Duo.

          “You’re not changing my mind.” Damian said defiantly.

          “I don’t have to change your mind, I’m your father. You’re coming home.”

          “I’m coming home now but as soon as the city council allows the Titans back into New York City we’re staying. You can’t pretend to care only when it’s convenient for you, Father. Either you’re my father or you’re Batman. It’s become apparent that it’s impossible for you to do both.” Damian kept his voice even, trying to stop the bitter snarl that was forming on his lips. “I am joining the Titans, same as Nightwing and Red Robin before me.” He was stern, defiant, and not backing down. To his surprise, his father did. With a turn towards the roof access hatch he started away, scaring Damian for a moment until finally-

          “Come along, Robin, we need to tell Nightwing the news.” He didn’t sound happy, then again Batman never sounds happy. But, it was a start.   



	16. Team Titans Chapter 16

          Tracking Roy Harper, the original Roy Harper, had gotten a little harder since he left Young Justice. He had been in Qurac for a while, nearly executed in Qurac actually, rescued by Jason, gallivanted around with both him and Kori; and now Dick wasn’t quite sure where to find him. He hadn’t been talking with Oliver, only talked with Red Arrow when he needed to, and only occasionally checked in with Dinah. Jason kept in touch with him more than anything, though after the Duela disaster Dick wasn’t exactly sure if that held true anymore. It took a month but he tracked him down to a warehouse he had been squatting in for the last half year. Dick wasn’t exactly sure if he was going to be receptive to the offer he was bringing but the least he could do was try.

          Politely, because he didn’t need Roy to have any reason to turn him away, he rang the doorbell at what he could only assume was the front door and waited. And waited. And waited. Ok, really Roy. “Come on, Roy! I know you’re in there! I just want to talk!”

          “Out of all the Batkids there is only one I want to see less than you and that’s the bratty one.” Roy’s reply came over a nearby speaker on the warehouse wall.

          “You’ll have to be more specific, we’re all kinda bratty.” That’s right, Dick, joke your way through. “You wanna keep slumming in a warehouse or would you like a stable roof over your head? Cause I have an offer for you.”

          Silence.

          “Well?”

          “I’m thinking. What  do I have to do?”

          “Let me in and we’ll talk.” 

          Another several seconds of silence before the door clicked open and Roy stepped out, looking skeptical but not necessarily hostile. Good start. “Talk fast.”

          “Robin’s gone and made himself a team and, well, I’m a concerned big brother. I need someone to watch over them. Jason thought you’d be a good candidate.” Dick glossed over the explanation. There was more to it than that but he was hoping he had peaked his interest enough. “You’d be living at the tower, plenty of room to yourself and your own workshop with all the tools you need.”

          Roy raised an eyebrow. "Last I checked you didn't exactly trust me around a team. I'm not a team player, in case you weren't aware." Folding his arms across his chest, he leaned against the door frame. Dick was going to have to make the deal a little sweeter than that.

          “Like I said, Jason thought you’d be a good candidate. He trusts you. Besides, I’m hoping you’ve grown since then. No more trying to throw team mates out of airlocks and all.” That’s it, Dick. Remind him of his failings in the past, that’ll get him to agree.

          "That depends. If the new Robin's anything like the fuckwit you had before him, I'll have a lot harder time not tossing him out of an airlock." Roy's skepticism was fading into mild irritation now.

          “He’s…” Dick paused, trying to find the right words to describe his baby brother. “A work in progress. But, you’ll be in charge at the tower. Your main job will be making sure they don’t do stupid teenage shit and make sure they stay alive to make it out of their stupid teenage shit.”

          That got a forced laugh. "You trust me that much? Since when? And, for that matter, since when did you listen to anything Jason said? Last I ever heard things were rocky at best and not one of you actually trusted a word he said."

          “That’s a work in progress too.” Dick admitted awkwardly. “Look, here’s the deal, Roy. I’m not just here because I need a den mother for Robin’s Titans. I’m here because I believe in second chances; and I may not know you but I do know someone a lot like you. And if you Harpers are as alike as you seem to be, a second chance might do you wonders.” Honesty was the best policy right? He just hoped Roy wouldn’t take it like Dick was treating him like a charity case. It’s not that Dick regretted kicking him off Young Justice, and that had weighed heavily when he had considered approaching him with this. But it had been years since that incident. They had both been through a lot since then and they had both learned a lot too.

          And that was about when the irritation faded into anger. "So if I didn't look like your best damn friend you wouldn't care that much, is that what I should take away from this?" He stood up straighter now, arms lowering to his sides where fingers curled into fists. "When I needed support, you kicked me out, locked me out of your lives and decided to pretend I didn't exist. And now, because I remind you of Red, you want to extend an olive branch? **_Really?_ ** " Roy turned on his heel, stepping back into the darkness of his warehouse and slamming the door. Man, he hoped he caught Nightwing's fucking nose in it.

          And it nearly did. Well, shit. Maybe that wasn’t the best direction to take. He shouldn’t have brought up Red Arrow, that was just a bad idea. And, part of what Roy had said was right. But, at the same time, he had been volatile and dangerous back then. Not that any Harper, Arsenal or Red Arrow, had ever been anything but volatile and dangerous. Was there a better way to support Roy but keep the team safe? Possibly. Was Dick not willing to entertain it at the time because he had put Tim in danger? Most definitely. So, why was he here now willing to trust Roy with Damian? Because he had grown up. He had heard nothing but amazing things from both Jason and Kori about Roy. They sang his praises like crazy. And, Dick believed in second chances. 

          He knocked on the door again.

          There was silence for a long time. Roy needed a cool head. He was furious for a lot of reasons, but he knew Dick had been well within his rights to do what he had done. Roy hadn't exactly been person of the year when he just woke up. After a minute or two, though, the speaker next to the door crackled to life. "I'll need access to the Zeta Tubes again. GA took me out of it when I walked out."

          Oh Thank God. “You got it, I’ll send you your access code once it’s set up.” So the trip wasn’t a total failure at least. He turned to leave the step but paused for a moment, turning back to smile at the camera he knew Roy had on him. “Thanks, Roy, I owe you one.”

 

          It took a month and a half, most of which all five of them had spent glued to New York’s local news sites, but the ban was finally lifted. Titans East was allowed to operate in Manhattan again. Damian and Maya were the first people to make it to the Tower, the Zeta Tubes announcing them as T68 and T69. The two of them weren’t going to lose any time, setting up everything they needed, clearing dust from the tower’s interior, ordering glass to replace the window Jon shattered. They may have been a little excited, not that Damian was allowing himself to show it much. By the end of the next week, with a little help from the other three and a handful of older Titans, the entire Tower was renovated and good as new. And it was theirs, all theirs- or so Damian thought.

_           “Nightwing, T01.” _

_           “Arsenal, T73.” _

          The computer announced their arrival clearly throughout the Tower, bringing the five of them straight to the entry room out of curiosity. As far as Damian was aware Arsenal wasn’t a Titan, he had never joined the Titans, and had only been on Young Justice long enough to prove his incompetence. So why was he here now with Grayson?

          “Oh good, you’re all here.” Dick started when he spotted the teenagers. “Everyone, meet Arsenal. He’s gonna be on the team to. Kinda like your safety net.”

          “You’re giving us a den mother?” Damian certainly wasn’t happy about the idea and the others seemed to follow suit rather quickly.

          “We joined the Titans to get  _ away _ from our babysitters. Not to get a new one.” Milagro protested.

          Roy had to laugh. "Good to know that Nightwng not trusting people hasn't changed much." Stepping away from Dick, Roy looked around, taking in the tower. "Trust me, I don't like it any more than you do. So I'm not about to get in your way. You take care of your own, and I don't have to leave my workshop, and everyone's happy. Sound good?"

          Damian wasn’t convinced. “If you don’t like it why did you join? Or am I to believe Nightwing held a gun to your head and forced you? You can leave anytime, Harper.”

          "Because it's either get Nightwing to shut up and not be homeless and starving, or stay out on the streets and let you fucks deal with a more over-protective baby sitter. Your choice, half-pint."

          Maya must have seen Damian reaching for something in his utility belt because she quickly grabbed his hand and forced him to keep it at his side. Instead of outright attacking him for the half-pint comment Damian turned to Nightwing. “Great choice. What, couldn’t get the clone? From what I hear the original is the defective model.”

          Roy rolled his eyes. "Yes, because I'm the one programmed to take over the Justice League. Do I have to aim another football at your head, squirt?" He took a few steps forward, almost daring the little Robin to attack. "Besides, would you rather have that mother hen? Dude's only gotten worse since he's gotta kid."

          “At least he’s not the one who nearly killed everyone up on War World. Don’t think I haven’t read the files on that screw up. What, was little Roy Harper too scared to actually face his enemies? Not that I’d expect much better considering what you went on to do. How exactly was your visit in Qurac?”

          “Robin! That’s enough!” Nightwing snapped, wiping the sneer off Damian’s face in an instant.

          "My visit to Qurac was great up until my team turned on me, forcing me to drop a nuke on them and then take the fall for that damage leading to my incarceration on death row." It would take someone who knew Roy well to tell how barely restrained he was being right now. Jason had spoken highly of him. He wasn't about to throw that back in his face. The one guy who still bothered to care...or at least he had once. "I wouldn't recommend it as a vacation spot.”

          The room went silent as Roy finished, color draining from a few of their faces and more than a few of them glanced at Jon who had gone stiff at the story. 

          “Look,” Nightwing finally interjected, trying to get the entire thing back on track. “I brought Arsenal here as a safety net, not a den mother, and not a baby sitter. He’s only here if you need him, and to make sure your parents don’t get entirely nervous about you being here without adult supervision.”

          “Only two of us actually have parents, Nightwing.” Damian pointed out. 

          “My point still stands. Roy, if you’re still staying, I’m going to ask that you don’t try to strangle Robin in his sleep. I know it’s tempting.” He said, trying to lighten the mood but really only received Damian’s trademark  _ tt _ for his effort.

          Roy snickered. "I'll be fine. Just don't blame me if he starts it." That said, he headed off out of the room. He needed to make a mental map to the tower. It wouldn't take him long.

          As soon as Damian thought Roy was out of earshot he turned to Dick. “Does he need to be here?”

          “For my peace of mind, yes. Not to mention for the peace of mind of KL’s family. Don’t worry, he’s not going to be looking over your shoulders all the time. He’s just here as a precaution. Ok?”

          They didn’t look happy about it but slowly relented until it was just Damian looking defiant. “He’s not going to be team leader.”

          “That’s up to you five to figure out.” Dick told him. “You five are, for the most part, on your own until you ask for help. Make the most of it.” He reached over, ruffling Damian’s hair before walking back over to the zeta tubes. “Good luck.”


	17. Team Titans Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my god I updated! My inspiration died a little but it's coming back. I'm hoping once I get through this story arc I'll be able to work on the one I'm really excited for. But for now have a heart warming team training story arc. It'll be fun, I promise.

          Damian couldn’t believe it. A babysitter. Grayson could call it anything he wanted, the role remains the same. He didn’t trust them to be on their own. Damian had been on his own for years now, or had Grayson turned a blind eye to Batman’s parenting method. So why couldn’t he be trusted with it now? The entire thing left a bad taste in his mouth and it didn’t get any better when he entered the living room to find Jon and Milagro playing video games.  _ Children. _ That’s why Nightwing didn’t trust them on their own. And to call in someone as abysmal as Arsenal just proved how little he thought of this. It was an insult, and Damian wasn’t going to let it stand. He stormed across the room to where the console was plugged in and yanked it out of the wall.

          “Hey!” Milagro was up in a second, controller clattering to the ground. “What gives?”

          “You’re acting like children.” He snapped.

          “I hate to break this to you, Robin, we  _ are _ still kids. Just because we’re older kids doesn’t mean we can’t have fun.”

          “Then you should go back to your brother’s team. Kids deserve babysitters.”

          “Oh shut up, you’re acting like you never stop to have fun.”

          “Um,” Jon cut in, “He really doesn’t.”

          “Of course I don’t. I take being part of this team and part of Batman’s team seriously.”

          “That explains a lot.” Milagro rolled her eyes, going to plug the console back in only to be blocked by Damian. “Move, Boy Blunder.”

          “No.”

 

          Roy had to admit, Dick did have a point. The Tower was the perfect place to lay his head, not only was it secure but it also had a fantastic workshop for him and his roybots. There wasn’t a lot that could ruin this place.

          “Put me down you insufferable-!” A scream, which was unmistakably Robin’s, came from the Tower’s living room down the hall.

          No. He was here to make sure they weren’t killed, not to mediate problems. Nope. Not going to move an inch to help the brat. Not gonna-

          “Ugh, fuck it.” He groaned, moving from his rather comfortable seat and into the living room. Everything seemed normal. Superboy and Kid Lantern were playing video game-wait. It took Roy a moment to follow the stream of green light that was emitting from KL’s ring up to the ceiling to find Robin pinned to it and gagged. 

          “Not that I don’t believe he deserves it but could you let him down before Nightwing reconsiders my abilities to babysit?” Roy noted dryly and wasn’t disappointed as KL simply shrugged and Robin came crashing violently to the floor. “Break anything, brat?”

          “No, but I’m about to break her!” Damian was up on his feet before Roy even finished his question, rushing for Milagro who simply rolled her eyes and flew up to hover a few feet above him.

          “Give it up, Robin. Just face it, without powers you’re just not in our league.” Milagro stuck her tongue out.

          "You know, I learned the hard way not to test a batbrat. Doesn't come highly recommended."  
Pause.

          "What did you do, anyway?"

          “He unplugged our game and started ranting about how we weren’t taking this seriously or something.” Milagro explained, irritated as Damian tried to launch himself off the coffee table to reach her, only for her to move just out of his reach.

          “You’re not taking it seriously! You’re acting like children!”

          “Uh, duh, maybe because we’re still teenagers! Or at least the others and I are. Are you even tall enough to ride the kiddie rides at Six Flags yet?”

          Oh this was going to end badly. Should he stay and watch the carnage? Maybe they could come to an agreement on their own. They were supposed to be a team, after all. Hmmmm. Roy paused to consider as Jon watched his friends bicker back and forth.

          “Guys, we’re supposed to be working as a  _ team _ !” He protested as Damian made another attempt and Milagro trapped him midair. “Ugh, I give up!” Jon rolled his eyes, tossing the game controller aside to leave the room.

          “Where’re the other two?” Roy asked before Jon had the chance to leave.

          “Maya’s off in the training room and Suren is meditating in his room. I’m starting to think they have the right idea, those two are like oil and water.” He shot Milagro and Damian an annoyed look. “I thought no one could fight with him more than I do.”

          Yikes. So much for teamwork. Okay...now what? There was no way they were going to be able to do anything as a team at this rate. He could always train them but why bother? Because they're kids and they don't need to wind up in early graves because they refuse to work together...good point.

          He looked up in time to see Milagro started playing with her caged bird, dangling him upside down by one foot and swinging him around the room. She could see why most of the other lanterns hated Batman. If senior was anything like junior it wasn’t much of a mystery.

          What a mess. "Put him down, KL." 

          She at least stopped swinging him around. “Last time I put him down he attacked me.”

          “Well, put him down again.” He reiterated.

          “Fine.” She rolled her eyes and dropped him unceremoniously onto the ground again.

          “Thank you.”

          “You shouldn’t be thanking her, she’s a menace!” Damian snapped. “Why did I ever think  _ she _ could be Titans material?”

          “Hey friendly reminder that I’ve been part of the Titans longer than anyone else in this tower! While you were holding your daddy’s hand and Superboy was playing the little league with Young Justice!” Milagro stuck her tongue out at him, not bother to join them back on the ground. She much preferred looking down at them.

          "KL, don't antagonize him. Robin, calm down."

          “You’re not the boss of us!” Both of them snapped in almost perfect unison. Finally something they agreed on.

          "...." And Roy was laughing. "Just don't kill each other. Save that for the super villains."

          “What exactly is happening?” Ah, right on time. Maya entered the room, tower around her neck and fresh from working out.

          “Robin is being a dick.”

          “Kid Lantern is acting like a child.”

          “Oh so nothing new.” She sighed, walking over to grab Damian by the ear and drag him towards the kitchen and away from the conflict. Really Roy, it was that easy, just separate them.

          Separating works fine while they were just at the tower but what happened if they started bickering during a fight with a villain? Those two were going to get the others killed. Maybe Roy did need to train them. Ok fine. This was going to be fun.


	18. Team Titans Chapter 18

          Damian was just laying down to go to sleep, the sun starting to rise on the horizon outside his window, making the ocean sparkle, when an alarm started blaring loudly throughout the entire tower. He was back up in a second, grabbing his sword as he raced to the living room, the windows blacked out around him as the others raced to join him. The television, which doubled as a computer if they needed, was flashing read, Arsenal standing in front of it with a stop watch. When the last member of the team, Milagro, finally joined them he stopped both the alarm and the watch. “Two minutes to get you all here, I’d say not bad but all your rooms are right down that hall.” He noted with a bored expression.

          “What is this?” Damian demanded.

          “Training. Last night you five showed me your unwillingness to work as a team despite insisting you be one. So, today I’m teaching you how, starting now.”

          “Some of us just got to sleep.” Maya complained through a loud and wide yawn.

          “Perfect timing then,” Roy cocked a smile. “You’re not always going to be in top fighting shape, which is why you’re going to need to learn how to work with each other.”

          “Like you know anything of teamwork?” Damian sneered. “Or do I need to bring up the War World incident again?”

          “Wow, Robin, it’s almost like I’ve grown up since then. It’s your turn to grow up now.”

          “Alright,  _ babysitter _ ,” Mila crossed her arms and glared. “Get on with the training then.”

          “First task, fix breakfast, enough for everyone. There’s a recipe on the counter and all the ingredients you need. But, let’s make a game out of it.”

          “I hate games.” Damian interjected.

          “Good, because I designed all these activities for you to hate specifically.” Roy was quick to inform him. “Superboy, you’re the only one allowed to touch the sugar, flour, salt, and baking soda. Maya, you’re on meat duty. Suren, you get to be the only one who can mix things, but you can only use one hand. Robin, since you got here first I’m actually going to reward you, all you have to do is set the table and pour the drinks. KL, since you were last, you’re the only one allowed to handle any and all heat. No powers for any of you. If one of you fails the team fails and we continue on without any of you having eaten breakfast.”

          “And why should we go along with this?” Milagro asked.

          “Because, if you all impress me I’m going to treat you all to an incredibly expensive dinner. And for those of you that that doesn’t impress, Robin, I want you to know that I’m using the Red Hood’s credit card for it. Without his permission.”

          Damian had to admit that the look on Jason’s face when he found out would be tempting. “Alright, we’ll play your  _ games _ .”

          “Good, then get in there and get going.” And while they did that, Roy would be placing an order for pick up for his own breakfast. Maybe if the kids failed he’d eat it in front of them just for the kicks.

          Maya stepped over picking the recipe page up. “Ok, easy enough, he just wants us to make a quiche.”

          “Maya,” Jon tapped her on the shoulder and took the paper, flipping it over to the other side. “It’s two sided.”

          Oh. “Ok, we can still do this. A quiche, a batch of waffles, and bacon for a side. Not hard. Let’s start with the quiche. KL, set the oven to 350 and then pull a pie dish out. Superboy, go grab the the pie crust from the fridge. Suren, grab the mixing bowl.” She set to work, not bothering with Damian as he was already set on his task. Lucky duck got the easiest job. As the others went about to work she grabbed the half and half, eggs and pepper. “Superboy, grab me the salt.” She asked as Suren brought the bowl over for her. “Ok, Suren, I’m going to need you to whisk the eggs but I’ll hold the bowl so it doesn’t go everywhere.”

          “Can you do that? I thought I was only supposed to mix?”

          “I’m not mixing, I’m holding.” Maya smiled to reassure him. The four continued on with the recipe as Damian finished before propping himself on a bar stool to watching.

          “You could help, you know.” Mila snapped at him when she saw him sitting a few minutes later.

          “I’ve done my part.” Was his only response, delivered with an uncaring shrug.

          In another few steps the quiche was in the oven and Maya turned her attention the waffles. It was all going fairly well, so long as Mila kept an eye on the oven it’d be fine. It’d be nice if Damian would watch it for them, he didn’t have to handle the oven to just watch it, but they weren’t going to push the argument. Not, at least, until the oven started to smoke right as they were getting the waffles done.

          “Shit!” Mila nearly dropped the plate of waffles as she ran to pull the quiche out.

          “Robin, you couldn’t have told us it was burning?” Jon snapped.

          “You didn’t ask me to!”

          “We shouldn’t need to ask for your help, you’re part of this team too!”

          “I did my part!”

          “But we still needed your help with ours!”

          “It’s not my fault you failed to notice! You couldn’t smell it?”

          “We were focused on other things!” 

          “Something smells burnt.” Perfect timing for Roy to walk into the kitchen, noticing the quiche, burn to a crisp, now resting on the stove where Mila had left it. “Ouch. Here I thought it was the waffles that would suffer.”

          “We failed huh?” Maya frowned.

          “Yup. But there are other tasks today. Take five, clean the kitchen, and then meet me outside. And no eating breakfast, I’ll know if you do.” Cruel? Maybe. But would it motivate them? Roy could hope.

 

          He could hear the five of them coming a mile away, still bickering about their kitchen mess up. The first task did exactly what he needed it to do. It pissed them off. He was having to work from the ground up here, build a team with people who seemed to barely like each other. Sure Maya got along with just about anybody. But there was no telling the next time Damian would be at someone’s throat. He was most definitely the problem child here. Him and Milagro that is. Milagro was too used to being the baby of whatever team she’s on. She was confident but that was to be expected with a Green Lantern. Problem was when that confidence turns to arrogance. She’s been coddled by everyone around her almost, doesn’t know how to work as part of a team where she’s equal to those around her. Getting her and Damian to see eye to eye was going to be hard. They were going to need a common enemy and goal.

          “Alright, team, second task, and this one is gonna be fun.” He grinned, rubbing his hands together. He had been up all night working on this one. His masterpiece of being able to piss kids off. “Whoever wins this gets to eat lunch. Maya, since you did so well last task you get to sit this one out. That, and I really need an even number here. Robin, KL, you two are partners for this. Suren, Superboy, the two of you are the other team. What’s going to happen is I’m going to blow my whistle-”

          “We really don’t need to hear what you do on your lonely nights, Harper.” Damian interjected dryly.

          "Keep that up and I'll give your team a disadvantage." Roy rolled his eyes. “I blow my whistle and the four of you will traverse the obstacle course behind me. I’ll meet you at the top. No powers.”

          “Top of what? There’s no obstacle course.” Mila pointed out.

          “Isn’t there?” A slow, but broad grin crept to Roy's lips as he pressed a button on his phone, making obstacles begin to rise from the ground like a demented knock-out course from Hell.

          “When did you build this?” Jon gaped, horrified at the sight.

          “I didn’t. It’s the original Titan’s training course. I just spent last night tweaking it to make it extra annoying.”

          “Great.” Mila said sarcastically.

          “First one to the top gets to eat lunch. Maya, you’ve already earned lunch.”

          “I can dig it.” Maya took a seat under the shade of a tree, lounging as she watched the others. “Don’t worry, Robin, you’ll be fine without me.”

          “Ok. Three, two, one!”

          The whistle sounded and all four of them were racing for the finish line. Damian quickly took the lead, jumping over hurdles and dodging everything the course threw at him. Behind him was Jon who kept decent pace until he noticed Suren falling behind and stopped to help him figure out the obstacles. Milagro was in the back. No powers. She was used to being able to fly over her problems. This obstacle course was worse than gym class. Roy was still watching her struggle with an apex ladder when Damian came scrambling to the top of the final obstacle.

          “Congratulations,” Roy paused, waiting until he saw Damian’s smug smirk before continuing. “You left your teammate behind.” That smug look was quickly gone. Good. Roy waited until Jon and Suren crossed the finish line together to call it. Two trials down. Two to go.

          “Superboy, Suren, let’s go grab lunch and we can eat it during the next activity.” Which meant Milagro and Damian would get to watch the others eat. Roy was sure that would start pushing Milagro over the edge, but Damian? Damian was trained to withstand torture by his mother and grandfather. He wasn’t going to break this easily. But, he was already annoyed with Roy and that was going to be his best way in. Not through pushing him past his limits, that’d just make Damian push harder. He needed to get the brat to his utmost brattiest level. Put him out of his comfort zone. Which is why the next activity he planned for them was a lot easier.

          He waited for the other three to get their food and then gathered them all in the living room, told them to get comfortable, and sat dead center of the couch. Damian was obviously suspicious of what this next activity was going to be. Good. “Suren, Superboy, you two get a pass on this one given that you won the last trial and I don’t have the time to teach Suren how to play a video game.”

          “A game?” Damian groaned. “You’re having us play a video game?”

          “Yup, Super Smash Bros. Best game ever invented. Be glad I’m not having us play Mario Party. Besides, Nightwing told me you like games.”

          “I like games that are actually a  _ challenge _ . I’m not going to play a kid’s game.”

          “Afraid you’ll lose?” Roy smirked. Damian shot him a glare which was all Roy needed. He was hooked. “Alright, Maya, KL, Robin, grab controllers. We’re doing three on one.”

          “But there’s only three of us. Who’s the one?” Maya asked.

          “Me.” Roy grinned, grabbing his own controller. “Just try to beat me.” Not even Jason could beat him at this game, and he had definitely tried. “Oh, and no picking the same characters as each other.”

          He waited to see who they all picked; Mila immediately going for Zelda as Damian picked Robin and Maya settled on Pikachu. He waited until they had all locked in before sliding over and picking Pit which received an annoyed groan from both Maya and Mila who had obviously played this game before. He spent half the game sniping from across the map, chuckling to himself as Damian cursed and struggled to learn what certain items did and just how to play the damn game in general. Two rounds and they still hadn’t managed to beat him; despite Maya’s attempts to coach him while ignoring her own character. After the third final round Damian threw his controller down and stormed out of the room.

          “Robin, wait!” Maya jumped up to go after him only for Roy to grab her by the wrist. 

          “Hold up there, Maya. Give him a few seconds to cool down before his mommy comes running to his rescue.”

          “If you’ve got something to say just come out and say it.” She rounded on him with a glare.

          “You’re always holding his hand, trying to fix his mistakes, making excuses for him.” Roy was quick to point out.

          “I’m his friend, and recently the only person who’s on  _ his _ side.”

          “That’s a lie and you know it!” Suren protested. “You don’t think I consider Damian a friend? After all you two did for me? If it wasn’t for Damian I’d have brought on the end of the world and my own death. But even I have to admit sometimes he’s an ass. And that’s without even considering the time he knocked me out after I had  _ already _ backed down.”

          “So he’s little rough around the edges-”

          “Try very rough around the edges. Like sand paper.” Milagro said.

          “If you had the childhood he had you would be too.”

          “I  _ did _ have the childhood he had!” Suren snapped. “Arguably worse considering I was nearly talked into sacrificing myself for the end of the world. But I also know that working as a team means helping your teammates out even when it’s not your assigned job.”

          “Or not leaving a teammate behind because you can do it without them.” Milagro added.

          “Or getting upset and storming off the moment you find something you’re not good at.” Jon finished the recap of today’s events.

          Roy had been sitting back letting them argue amongst themselves, best they get it all out now than in the middle of a mission. And then he saw the look on Maya’s face. Protective fury, a mother bear who’s cub was being attacked. He’d seen the sickness before. Mom-friend Syndrome. “Alright, everyone calm down. I’ve got a question. Maya, Suren, did he work as a team when the three of you were off doing your thing?”

          “Yes, after a little bit of us being at each other's throats but that was complicated. And when Suren joined us it wasn't hard for us to adjust to having a third member.” Maya answered for the two of them, getting a nod from Suren.

          “Do you think he can do it again?”

          “Yes.” There was not a single hesitation from Maya.

          “And the rest of you? Do you think that you could work with Robin if he improved himself?” Roy asked with a smile that made them start to think he just might be up to something. There was hesitation, sure, but eventually the two boys gave a nod; which left Milagro. “KL?”

          “I don’t know. He’s stubborn and confrontational.”

          “So are you.” Roy was quick to remind her. “I think you guys can be a team. But  _ all  _ of you are going to have to do a little work.”

          “We weren’t the ones who messed up today!” Milagro protested.

          “You didn't help either. Any of you could have tried to make an effort to work with the rest, including Robin, and get things done. Only one of you truly did that.” He gestured to Maya to prove his point. “Superboy, sure you helped Suren through the obstacle course but would you have done that if you hadn’t understood my instructions in a way Robin didn’t? KL, did you even consider asking Robin for help during the obstacle course or would your pride not allow it? And what about this trial? You knew Robin had never played this game before but you didn’t consider giving him a single pointer, leaving that up to Maya instead of the three of you working as a team.” He paused for a moment, letting them process what he was telling them. This was something they were going to  _ have _ to understand. Something he wished he had understood when he was their age. “In order to work cohesively you all need to work, and change, together. Do some people have a little more work to do than others? Sure. But to hold only one person accountable for all your failures is not only unfair to him, but irresponsible for the rest of you.” The looks the kids started to exchange told him everything he needed to know. They were starting to get it. Good. Now to go deal with Robin. “Now you lot stay here, I’ll go talk to the bird boy.”

          “Are you sure I shouldn’t-”

          “No, Maya, I think he needs to hear what I’ve got to say and he needs to hear it from me.” Roy shook his head, patting her shoulder as he passed her to leave the room. It didn’t take long to find Damian, in fact he was in the first place he looked, having followed the sounds of splintering training dummies and an angry teenager. Damian noticed him the moment he stepped into the room but didn’t stop his brutal attack on the dummy.

          “Come to rub it in?” He scowled, landing a kick that cracked the dummy’s arm.

          “More like I came to talk. Maybe stop attacking the poor defenseless training doll and come grab some water and a rest?”

          “Why?” Crack. Another break. Weren’t those things expensive?

          “Because water is good and you’re training on an empty stomach which means your body is probably hating you right now.”

          “I’ve been through worse.” Crack.

          “Damian. Take a break and let’s talk.”

          To his amazement Damian stopped, glaring at the dummy for a long moment, as though considering a continue of his assault, before turning his glare onto Roy. “Then talk.”

          “Come sit down first.” Roy told him, pulling two chairs from the corner up closer and taking a seat himself. Reluctantly Damian took a seat but his glare didn’t falter. It was a start. “I need to know what’s wrong so I can help. What’s holding you back from working with the others.”

          “They’re not working with me.” Damian objected.

          “And I’ve already talked to them about it. But, you haven’t made a single effort to work as a team today. Why?”

          “It’s not like today mattered. It was just a bunch of stupid games you put together to mess with us.”

          “Accurate, but I wasn’t doing it for no reason. I’m trying to get you all to understand that this isn’t going to be easy. Being a  _ team _ isn’t easy. It’s a lot of standing by each other through thick and thin and even when you don’t really want to fight their fight you do anyways. It’s what it was like when I was with Jason and Kori, it’s what I wish I had understood when I was part of Young Justice. And, from what I understand, it’s what it was like when it was just you, Maya, and Suren.”

          “It was easier then.”

          “Why?”

          “It just was!” Damian snapped, frustration growing at the question. “How am I supposed to know?”

          “Because they’re your friends, but now they’re your team.”

          “Except they’re not my team.” Damian blurted, shooting up from his seat, starting to pace as he ranted. “KL never listens to anything I say. Superboy infuriates me on the daily. I can’t lead a team that won’t listen!”

          “To you.”

          “What?”

          “They listen; they just don’t listen to you.” Roy explained calmly.

          “I’m supposed to be their leader.”

          “Damian, you’re not supposed to do anything except breath, eat, and sleep. Everything else is optional. You don’t have to live up to every expectation put on your shoulders by anyone, including yourself.” He beckoned for Damian to retake his seat.

          “Both Nightwing and Red Robin have always been leaders of their teams.”

          “Who told you that?” Roy frowned in confusion. “The way I remember it, Aqualad led the original Young Justice team. And you know who took over leading the Titans when Dick had too much on his plate? Troia. You know who led a lot of the missions Tim went on with Young Justice? Wonder Girl. You know who led his Titans for a while? Wonder Girl. Part of being worthy of being a leader is understanding when you’re not and stepping away.”

          “You don’t think I should be leader then?”

          "I think you could be. But I also think that everyone here has a little growing to do first." Roy explained. "You've got a good head on your shoulders, Damian. But you need to learn that sometimes, you need to step back. You can't do everything all the time.” He finished his thought before standing to stretch. “Now then, I think it’s time for the final trial, don’t you?”

          “I’m not playing anymore of your pointless games, Harper.”

          “Don’t worry. This one isn’t pointless.” He reassured him, hand on his back as he forced Damian back to the living room. He let Damian get settled back down before continuing. “Alright, guys. Last trial. Simple question,-” liar, -“Who’s leader of this team?”

          The room fell dead silent, everyone too afraid to talk for fear of being wrong. Roy saw the gears turning in both Milagro and Jon’s heads, wondering if they should nominate themselves but weren’t one hundred percent sure they’d be accepted. Damian seems content to just glare at Roy, wondering what exactly he had up his sleeve. Meanwhile, Suren, was glancing over at Maya who was the first to raise her hand. 

          “You?” She asked hesitantly.

          “Hell no. I’m here only as a safety net. I don’t want to be the leader and you surely don’t want me to be the leader.” Roy shook his head. “Try again.”

          Another second and Jon was still thinking, glancing in the same direction Suren was. Good. Two of them seemed to be catching on. But they were the easy ones. Roy knew who  _ should _ be leader. But he wasn’t going to tell them. That’d be too easy and he wanted them to come to the conclusion themselves.

          Milagro raised her hand. “I wouldn’t mind.”

          “No way am I listening to little miss night light.” Damian rolled his eyes and as he did his sight landed on Maya, face turning from disgust to realization. “Why not Maya?”

          “What?” Maya jumped like she had been burned, eyes turning wide as saucers as she rounded on Damian.

          Color Roy surprised. He hadn’t expected Damian, of all people, to suggest it.

          “Actually, now that you mention it, she was the one who managed to get us to work together against the Demon’s Fist.” Jon was quick to point out and soon even Milagro didn’t seem offended by the prospect.

          “Wait, no.” Maya shook her head. “I’m not a leader. Robin should be the leader.”

          Roy watched Damian struggle for half a second before the younger boy opened his mouth again. “No. I shouldn’t, not yet. But we all listen to you, we all  _ trust _ you.”

          “But I don’t  _ want _ to be leader!”

          “Good leaders rarely do.” Roy was quick to tell her.

          “That's stupid. Why put someone in charge who doesn't want to be?"  
"If you think you can lead, odds are you can't. If you know you can't that means you're more likely to listen to others and ask for help. Both are very important traits for a leader to have."

          “I work better in the shadows, as a  _ nobody _ . You know, hence the name. I’m not cut out to lead.”

          "Then work from the shadows. Nobody said the leader had to be on the front lines."

          “I’m a mercenary not a leader.”

          "I was a mercenary and a leader. You can do both, Maya."

          "I mean, you blew your team up, Harper. Doesn't sound like a vote of confidence." Damian couldn't help but make the jab.

          "Well gee. Let that be a lesson to any potential back-stabbing teammates, then." Roy spat back before he could quite stop himself. A pause, and a soft sigh later, Roy turned his focus back to Maya. "What I'm saying is, you have the capability to be a great leader. And everyone else here seems to agree.”

          Maya gaped at the others, mouth wide with shock as they all nodded in agreement.

          “You are the one who got us to all go after Robin when he bailed.” Jon reiterated. “And you’re the one who came up with all the plans when we were facing them.”

          Maya wasn’t liking what she was hearing. She wasn’t supposed to be the leader, Damian was! But… “You all feel this way?” The responding nods didn’t make her feel much better. “Ok, fine.” She took a deep breath, trying to calm her nerves. “But I’m making Robin my second. Some of you guys may disagree with him a lot but I trust his instincts and his training.” And she wasn’t about to do this alone. Mila and Jon exchanged uncertain looks over her declaration but they could deal with it.

          “Congratulations,” Roy cut in. “You passed.”

          “But we failed like every challenge.” Jon frowned.

          “You passed the most important one. You figured out the right person to lead with very little arguing and you all agreed on it. It’s probably the first thing any of you have agreed on in your lives other than wanting to be a team. I knew you’d fail everything I’ve thrown at you today. I designed everything so you would fail. I didn’t want you guys to pass the trials. I wanted you to impress me. And, you have. Now you get to decide where we go for dinner.” The living room erupted into discussion, Maya pulling her phone out to find the most expensive restaurant in New York City as Damian insisted they go somewhere with good vegetarian options. Roy laughed at their light hearted bickering, knowing some things weren’t going to change in a day, but hopefully this was a good start.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *stumbles out of the void* GUys I finished the chapter!  
> Sorry if it feels kinda rushed at the end I was struggling for like two months for that last scene and tried to get it to seem natural and I still don't like it but I can't dwell on it anymore.
> 
> Second Arc Stats:  
> Time Writing: 4 months and 2 days (from 04/16/17 to 08/18/17)  
> Time Passed from chapter 1: 1Month and 20 Days  
> Words: 32,416  
> Chapters: 18  
> Comments: 40  
> Bookmarks: 9  
> Kudos: 69 (⌐■_■)  
> Hits: 1494
> 
> See you guys in the next story arc!


	19. Super Lantern Chapter 19

_ June 15th, 2018 New York City _

          Days turned to weeks turned to months and soon the newest, youngest, group of Titans found that they had been a team, although team was loosely defined, for more than a year now. Thanks to Maya’s leadership they were shaping up to be a  team while fighting villains and criminals but their lives outside of being heroes continued to be a world apart. Maya continued her bounty and mercenary work, taking only the jobs she could morally reconcile, and using the money to fund at least part of the Titans budget. Damian jumped between New York and Gotham faster than a flea jumping from a carpet to a dog, never spending enough time in either to become truly comfortable. Jon, on the other hand, started spending more time at the Tower, avoiding a life in Smallville that was familiar but not quite right. Suren ended up secluding himself to the Tower, nearly completely, as he focused more on learning different kinds of magic and hiding from the assassin, Blank, who was still out for his blood. Milagro split her time evenly between life in El Paso, her training with the Green Lanterns, and Titan’s Tower but whenever she found one needed to slip for a while she always chose to spend less time at the Tower. They fought well together, anyone who watched or faced them could see that, but to call them a team wasn’t quite accurate. Maya wasn’t the only one worried by this, in fact Jon began to wonder if the team considered each other friends. So, when Maya insisted the team spend the  _ entire _ summer at Titan’s Tower Jon joined in trying to convince Damian and Milagro. Somehow, it worked, and the five of them moved into the Tower at the beginning of May.

          Immediately there was a problem. Damian’s late nights, when not spent patrolling New York City, were spent in his room working on his art and playing classical music loud enough to wake the entire tower. Milagro took this as a challenge and started playing pop music as loud as she could. The resulting music war meant that the four Tower residents that were used to living together had their lives completely disrupted by the two storms known as Hurricane Robin and Tornado Kid Lantern. This continued on for nearly a week before finally Maya hacked into their computers and erased their music libraries. Silence lasted barely a second only now their ire was turned to blaming each other for their vanishing music.

          Needless to say it was a rocky start to the summer. But, slowly, the two started to settle in. Not every day was started with an argument and the two even started training together without causing fights. Though, this may have been because Jon had started bribing Mila with bags of candy to get her to let Damian have a few wins now and again. For once, the five of them were all actually on good terms with each other. It was shaping up to be at least a half decent summer.

And then the heat wave hit.

          The sweltering sun beat down on New York City, not a single cloud in sight as the long summer day continued on without a care about the people who were nearly melting onto the pavement. Over at Titan’s Tower there were two people who were actually used to such heat. Roy Harper, having lived his early life on a reservation in Arizona, was more than used to heat far worse than the 85 degrees that New York was suffering. And Milagro Reyes, who has lived her entire life in the city of El Paso and could, in fact, wear jeans in 105 degree weather without much of a problem. These two seemed to be the only ones who hadn’t planted themselves in front of a fan in an attempt to ignore the scorching heat.

          It honestly made Milagro laugh, or at least it did before she saw Damian up and moving as though nothing was wrong. So much for being one of the only two. “Aren’t you bothered by the heat?” She frowned as he moved past her towards the training room.

          “This? It’s nothing, come talk to me when it goes past 100.” 

          “You’re from Gotham, where it’s cold and rainy all the time. How are you so used to heat like this?” She followed after him, more upset than she should have been to know that it was Damian of all people who could withstand this heat.

          “I didn’t live my entire life in Gotham. I’m trained to last longer than average humans in the most severe conditions.”

          Milagro rolled her eyes. “Oh, look at me, I’m Robin, and I’m  _ so _ much better than everyone.” She mocked him causing him to stop at the door of the training room.

          “Is there something you need from me, Kid Lantern?” He asked harshly, turning to glare at her from behind his mask.

          “Do I need a reason to annoy you?”

          Damian was unimpressed with that answer. “Go bother Superboy, he seems to enjoy your presence far more than I do.” He snapped, opening the training room door and slamming it behind himself before Milagro even had a chance to follow him through.

          “Rude.” She groaned, leaving to find something else to entertain herself with. The problem with hot days is that no one wanted to do anything. Maya had planted herself in front of a computer and a fan and seemed perfectly content with ignoring everyone. Suren had taken the temperature as an excuse to sit and watch documentaries all day. Jon had sprawled himself out on the couch next to Suren and was refusing to move for fear that his sweat had glued him to the leather sofa. That left Roy, who seemed more than happy to lock himself in his workshop which Mila was almost sure was the best air conditioned part of the tower.

          She had officially exhausted her options for entertainment. Defeated she went to join the boys in the living room and plopped down in an arm chair. “What’re we watching now?”

          “Something about witch hunts in America.” Jon shrugged. “I’m only half paying attention. Can’t we watch something a little less grim?”

          “You try catching up on 457 years of history. When I died America was barely even discovered, now you guys have your own country and bloody history.” Suren didn’t even look away from the screen.

          “If you died before the evolution of modern English how do you speak it so well?” Jon asked.

          “Magic. I’m actually speaking Turkish you’re just hearing English.”

          “Really?”

          “No. But I did magically learn English when I was ressurected.”

          “Was that your idea of a joke?” Jon raised an eyebrow.

          “I tried.”

          “Eh, you’ll get there.” 

          Mila began tuning them out, turning her attention to out the window at the city across the waves from them. Everything seemed so boring today. There probably wasn’t even a single crime happening today in New York City as every citizen was feeling far to lazy to commit one. There was not a single thing to do today, or at least that was the thought crossing her mind half a second before her eyes spotted the plume of smoke rising from somewhere in the city.

          “Do you guys see that?” She was up out of her seat in a second.

          “See what?” Jon finally pulled himself off the couch so he could join her at the window. “Oh.”

          “We should go grab Maya and Robin!”

          “It’s just a fire, I think the three of us can handle it without them.” Jon grinned.

          “Do we have to?” Suren groaned, pausing his movie as he sunk lower onto the couch.

          “We’re heroes, it’s our job.” Jon flew over to Suren and lifted him off the couch, something the other boy didn’t take too kindly to as he started flailing about to get him to let go.

          “Alright, fine! I’ll go just put me down!” With an oof Suren was dropped back into his seat.

          “Then let’s go!” Mila flew for the exit, not even waiting for the other two to catch up, not that they needed her to wait for them. Before she arrived at the scene Jon had caught up and Suren wasn’t far behind, stumbling with a flying spell he had yet to perfect. Firefighters were nowhere to be found yet, though the sounds of sirens were echoing over the noise of rush hour traffic. What she did see was exactly what building was aflame. “There’s no way this was an accident.” She had flown over New York enough times to recognize the Federal Reserve Bank. “Suren, do you have a spell that can help?”

          “I can probably think of something.”

          “Good, you work on the fire from out here, Superboy and I can check for anyone who needs help.” Mila took the lead like it was nothing, waiting briefly for a nod from Suren before flying for the building. Just before Jon took off a man with blond hair caught him.

          “I saw who started the fire,” He told him. “He ran off down William Street. You might still be able to catch him!”

          “Thank you!” Jon thanked the man, taking off in a blink of an eye.

          Milagro, meanwhile, was fighting through smoke and flame as she entered the building. Her ring kept her safe from the flames but the acrid smell of the smoke caused her eyes to water and her lungs to burn. She flew quickly, checking the rooms around the first floor before heading for the stairs. But that’s when she noticed the conspicuous figure rush just out of her sight. She turned on her heel and raced after it, stopping just short of the downward elevator. She hesitated. Continue looking for survivors or stop what was most assuredly a bank robbery? How was the elevator even moving when there was a fire? Regardless, her hesitation didn’t last long as she used her ring to pry the elevator doors open and took a nose dive down the shaft. There was no smoke down here, not even a fire or alarms. 

          She landed on the top of the elevator without making a single sound, carefully cracking the maintenance door so she could see in. Below, waiting patiently in the descending elevator, was none other than the villain Firefly and next to him, sniffling as she tried not to cry and shake from fear, was a bank employee. This wasn’t good. As quietly as she could she closed the door and reached for the communicator in her ear. “Superboy, Suren, I think I found our fire starter.” All she got back was static. Too far below the bank for her comms to reach. Unless Jon or Suren found out she was missing she was on her own. She could take Firefly, but he had a hostage, that complicated matters severely. 

          The elevator slowed to a stop and she could hear Firefly having to pry the doors open. Her time to try to stop him was running out. Luckily his back was turned to the elevator now, she could catch him in a bubble construct and separate him from the hostage, keeping him from both her and the gold. Win win. She opened the hatch again and slipped through flying quickly after Firefly who she caught by surprise and captured just as she planned.

          “You’ve pulled some pretty stupid stunts, but stealing from the Federal Reserve Bank? That’s a new low.” She smirked, holding him up in the air as she turned to the hostage just in time see her pointing frantically to something behind Mila. She turned quickly but was too slow to avoid Tupence Terror’s fist smacking her into the far wall. 

          Now it was Firefly’s turn to gloat as the bubble around him popped and he fell to the ground with not a single stumble. “I’m not usually one to work with partners, but since you Titans moved into the city I’m left with little choice. So, have you met Tupence? See, she and her brother are incredibly useful, especially since Tommy is dealing with Superboy as we speak and then he’ll just have to snap the witch boy like a twig. Then the dear Terror Twins pry the vault open and we walk away splitting what we can carry three ways. Rather stupidly ingenious isn’t it?”

          “There’s still the cops.” Mila picked herself up, glad she had enough time to protect herself with her ring even if she couldn’t keep herself from being thrown about like a ragdoll. “Even if, and that’s a major if, you beat me; you’ll get shot down in a second.”

          “Which is why we have her.” Firefly sneered, grabbing their hostaged by the collar of her shirt and hauling him towards her as she cried. “A lovely human shield.”

          “Not while I’m around!” Mila was back off her feet, raising her ring for another attack, and then the light from it faded, as did her costume and her mask. A look of abject horror spread across her face as she realized she forgot to charge her ring. She dropped to the ground, no longer able to fly. Worse than that, she now stood before Firefly and Tupence Terror, not as a Green Lantern but, as Milagro Reyes.

          “This just got easier.” Tupence grinned, lunging for Milagro, fist raised.

 

          Jon hadn’t seen him coming, which seemed impossible considering just how large he was. Like an elephant hurtling towards him from a football field away, Tommy Terror’s fist collided with Jon and he was sent flying down the street, leaving a sizable crater where he landed. Tommy landed just a yard away, the ground shaking as he did.

          “Ya see, Firefly told me I’d be fightin Superboy. I ain’t too happy to find a scrawny lil’ankle biter like yaself.” He grumbled, closing the distance between them in just a few steps before pulling Jon up by his cape. And there Jon dangled, kicking and flailing his arms as he tried to punch Tommy. “Quit that flailin, boy, and tell me where the real Superboy’s at.”

          “I  _ am _ the real Superboy!” Jon glared. It always seemed whenever he actually needed his heat vision it never worked, no matter how much he strained.

          “Now what’s with that constipated face ya got?” Tommy raised an eyebrow, holding Jon just a little further from him.

          “I’m trying to laser your face.”

          “What?”

          “Laser your face.”

          “Tryin to what?”

          “Lasers!” And as if his powers were just waiting for their cue his heat vision kicked in and two precise lasers shot from his eyes and nailed Tommy directly in the face. He reeled back, dropping Jon who didn’t even touch the ground before flying back into the sky.

          “Suren, KL, we’ve got a problem!” He called over their comms. “I’ve got one Terror Twin here and he mentioned Firefly.” Below him Tommy regained his senses and launched himself after Jon who didn’t waste a single second before flying back towards his teammates. They could take him together.

          Suren’s was the first voice to reach his comm. “I’ve already put out the fire, but KL isn’t anywhere in sight and I can’t reach her on the comms.”

          Hearing that Jon forced himself to fly faster and ended up coming to a skidding stop back at the front steps of the soot covered bank. Suren having to cover his eyes as Jon’s landed kicked up ash and dust. “We need some way to hold Tommy, do you think your magic will work?”

          “It’s worth a shot.” The could feel the ground shaking as Tommy charged at them from down the street.

          “Now would be good!”

Suren held his arms out, a gust of wind forming around him, causing his clothes to billow. Jon could only watch and hope that whatever his friend was doing would actually work as Tommy Terror got dangerously close, fist raised to come crashing down on the both of them. He was nearly within arm’s reach. Jon braced for the impact but instead heard a thud. Tommy had run, full force, straight into an invisible barrier.

          “I’ve got him trapped.” Suren told him as Tommy banged on the barrier. “You should go in and find KL. If one Terror Twin is here the other can’t be far behind.”

          “Good thinking.” Jon was up off his feet again, flying into the building. It’d take him ages to check the entire building, he really wished he had his father’s x-ray vision. But, he did have his hearing. He closed his eyes and listened careful. A few seconds later he heard a loud thud from the basement. He raced for the elevator, only briefly surprised to find the doors already pried open. He dove down the elevator shaft and landed with much less grace than Milagro had before him.

 

          Milagro barely had time to jump out of the way before Tupence’s attack reached her, landing hard on her side as the ground and walls shook at the impact and something in her wrist and shoulder had exploded with pain when she landed. But she scrambled to her feet again, holding her screaming shoulder, eyes tearing up as she watched Tupence. She just needed to survive long enough for Jon and Suren to realize something was wrong. She could do this. Tupence was hardly a skilled fighter, she fought like a wrecking ball, you could always see her coming and she put all her momentum into her attacks. That meant Milagro had just enough time to dodge before Tupence attacked again.

          Milagro could feel her heart racing in her chest, her wrist and shoulder throbbing with sharp pain. She was in trouble. Disoriented from her fall and the pain radiating from her arm, she wanted to scream and cry, and as it was the crying seemed to be coming involuntarily. Her vision blurred from the tears threatening to spill over and before she could blink them out of the way Tupence was on her, ramming her into the concrete wall behind her. Pain erupted from her already agonizing shoulder and this time she was certain it had dislocated. She fell to her knees only for Tupence to grab a fist full of her hair and haul her back to her feet.

          “Not so tough without that fancy ring of yours?” She grinned, pulling her free hand back for one final punch.

          “Just finish it, Tupence.” Firefly warned.

          A thundering crash pulled all their attention to the elevator shaft and, to Milagro’s joy, Jon came flying out of it like a bat out of hell. He punched Tupence so hard that she was thrown across the room and dropped Milagro who landed roughly on the concrete ground.

          Jon didn’t let up, one punch after another until he felt Tupence slump into unconsciousness. He went silent for a moment, catching his breath as he stood over Tupence, worried for a second he might have gone too far before he saw the tell tale sign of life in her chest rising with her breath. He turned around just in time to see Firefly escaping up the elevator shaft with his jet pack, apparently giving up on his heist now that his muscle was out of commission. They may not have caught him but at least the gold was safe.

          A whimper from Milagro as she slumped against the closest wall brought Jon’s attention to her and he rushed to her side. “Are you ok? What happened?”

          Milagro just shook her head, squeezing her eyes shut as she focused on not screaming in pain. She wasn’t used to having injuries after a fight, let alone broken bones. “H-hostage…” She managed to mutter through her gritted teeth.

          Jon took the hint, turning instead to the cowering hostage to help her calm down and fly her back to the surface level of the bank before returning for Tupence and finally Milagro. He waited to fly her back to the Tower until he told Suren to finish handling everything, anxious to get her to Roy so he could look at the injuries. Even still, without her ring, flying out in front of the crowd that had gathered in the front of the bank would reveal her secret identity. She was hurting enough as it is, he didn’t need to add that on top of everything. Without much else at their disposal he pulled his glasses from his jacket pocket and slipped them on her face before carefully pulling her hair out of her usual pigtails.

          “Sorry,” He said softly when she gave him a strange look. “It’s all I can think off to keep people from knowing who you are.” With that he pulled her into his arms, almost protectively, and started flying home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ヽ(ﾟ∀ﾟ)ﾉ you guys picking up what I'm putting down yet?


	20. Super Lantern Chapter 20

          “You three are in so much trouble!” Maya screamed, throwing her hands in the air. 

          “A little quieter please.” Milagro whimpered, holding her head with her good hand, laying in her bed at the tower. “Roy did say I had a concussion.”

          Speaking of Roy, he had just finished wrapping the splint around her wrist. “I said  _ slight _ concussion. You’ll be fine, especially once Suren gets around to healing you up.”

          “And just what made you three think you could take on the Terror Twins  _ and _ Firefly on your own?” Maya continued her lecture, ignoring the cringe Milagro gave as Roy prodded her shoulder injury.

          “We didn’t know they’d be there. We just thought it was a fire.” Jon protested.

          “I don’t care what you thought, you should have come and grabbed Robin and I. Now Suren is so exhausted from holding Tommy that he passed out the moment he got back, Milagro broke her arm in two places, and you put Tuppence in the hospital.” Not that she was exactly complaining that the villain got hurt but, from what it sounded like, Jon had gone too far.

          “She was hurting KL!” He defended himself.

          “You could have stopped her without putting her life in danger. Isn’t restraint what the big Blue Boyscout is all about?”

          Wrong thing to say. Jon stood up from his chair so quickly it toppled over, his knuckles turning white as he balled his hands into fists at his side. “I’m sorry I’m not perfect like him! I stopped her from hurting Mila the best way I could at the time! You don’t get to lecture me because you weren’t there!”

          “Jon, I didn’t-”

          “I don’t care!” He shoved past her, slamming the door on his way out.

          Maya groaned, pinching the bridge of her nose as she tried to figure out just where she went wrong.

          “Want me to go talk to him?” Roy asked, helping Mila sit back up so he could put her arm in a sling.

          “No, I should do it. I just don’t know what part of all of this upset him.”

          “You’re really not getting it?” Mila frowned at her, not believing how stupid some of her friends could be. “You compared him to Superman, idiot.”

          “She’s got a point.” Roy noted. “I’d probably be just as pissed is someone compared me to GA.” Or worse, if they compared him to Red. “There’s also the fact that he’s still heated from his fight with the twins.”

          “Why would a fight with the Terror Twins make him mad, though?”

          “You’d have to ask him.” Roy had an idea of one reason, and she was sitting in bed with a broken arm and a concussion. Maybe Maya wasn’t the best person to handle this. But Roy had an idea on who might be. “Or, I actually have a better idea. Let me call someone in that Jon is more likely to listen to, ok?”

          “You think it’ll help?”

          “I think he’s got a better shot at getting through that thick Kryptonian head of his.”

          “Alright, call him, whatever works right?”

 

          Jon hadn’t gone far, hadn’t even left the Tower, and ended up in the training room. Lucky for him Damian seemed to be done with it for the day. Good. The last thing he needed to have  _ another _ argument today. The nerve of Maya! Leader or not she didn’t know what he could and couldn’t have done! He made a choice when she wasn’t there to do so! He saved Mila! She was in trouble and he saved her! All Maya could think about was what he did wrong.

          There was a crash as Jon threw a training dummy through the window. Probably not what he should have done but damn did that feel good. He looked around to see if there was something else he could throw. That’s when he heard the door slide open.

          “Whoever it is, go away!” He snapped before turning around. He had been expecting to find Damian, instead he saw his big brother standing in the doorway and looking very unimpressed by the broken window. “Conner? What’re you doing here?” Jon was suddenly a lot more conscious about the broken window and the glass strewn about the floor, doing the best he could to fold in on himself without letting Conner know he was nervous.

          “Arsenal called, so I zeta’d over. Wanna explain what happened to the window?”

          No. No he didn’t. But he wasn’t going to lie, especially not to Conner. “I, uh, threw a dummy through it.”

          “Jon, come on, I don’t care how annoying Robin gets, you can’t throw him through windows.”

          Jon snickered, laughter banishing his anger for just a moment. “No, I meant a training dummy.”

          “Same difference.” There was silence for a moment as Conner looked over the younger Superboy. Arsenal had told him what happened with Tuppence, and Conner wasn’t exactly sure what he could do about it. He had acted and saved a team mate. It wasn’t like Tuppence wasn’t fully ready to do worse to Milagro. The problem was that Jon wasn’t normally like that. Conner was like that, Conner had always been like that. But Jon wasn’t the type to go too far out of anger. Which meant something was wrong. “Arsenal told me what happened.”

          “I don’t need another lecture.”

          “Wasn’t planning on giving one. Not my style. But I am going to help you out.” Finally he stepped fully into the room, the door sliding shut behind him. He joined Jon on the training floor, taking a fighting stance. “Hit me.”

          “What? I don’t want to hit you.”

          “No, but you want to hit something and I’m the only thing around here that’s not likely to break. So, come on, stop stalling. Hit me.”

          “Ok…” Jon didn’t seem to happy about the idea but he doubted Conner would let him get out of this one so he rushed at him, fist raised. And then, faster than Jon could blink, he wasn’t running or fighting, he was landing hard on his back with a loud thud. 

          Conner offered him a hand back up. “Feeling better?”

          “Feeling worse.” Jon pushed his hand away with an angry huff and helped himself up.

          “That’s fair. Try again.”

          And so Jon did, the result was the same. Before he even knew what was happening Conner had thrown him back onto the ground. If he was trying to make him feel better this wasn’t helping. After the fifth time Jon’s anger was getting the better of him. He screamed, launching himself off the ground as he put his full force behind his next punch.

          Conner remained unimpressed, this time grappling Jon into a headlock and let him flail around until he realized he wasn’t getting out of this one. “Good, I got you angry.”

          “Why is that good!?” Jon screamed, trying to pry Conner’s arms open. “Let go!”

          “It’s good because now I get to teach you that fighting angry isn’t a good idea.”

          “You fight angry all the time!”

          “Alright fine, how’s this, letting your anger control how you fight isn’t a good idea. There’re ways to take out enemies without fighting like a wrecking ball.” Conner felt Jon still pulling against the headlock and decided to let go, letting Jon’s own momentum take him straight to the ground.

          “What does it matter how we fight? We’ve got enough strength to take out ten men at once. Why can’t we use it to protect the people we care about?”

          “There’s a difference between being strong and being good.” 

          “What, did Dad tell you that?” The sneer on his face could rival Damian’s at this point. He was getting sick of being held up to Superman’s standard. Especially since the Superman they kept comparing him to wasn’t even _ his _ Superman. It was one thing when he was being compared to his father, not a stranger.

          “No, Black Canary did. Better than that, she showed it to me. You’re stronger than most everyone on Earth, sure, but do you really think you could take Robin, Nobody, or Suren in a fight? Maybe you could take KL but she has the same problem you do. She’s relying too much on her powers, too.” 

          “I could maybe take Suren.”

          “He has magic and he knows how to fight hand to hand and with a sword. He could probably do what I just did without much more effort. And what’re you going to do if you face someone on your power level? Or someone who has the ability to take away your powers? You can’t be like Superman and throw haymakers all damn day.” Conner offered Jon a hand up again, wondering if he’d actually accept it this time. “You want to protect your friends? There are better ways to do it than fighting like Superman and relying only on your powers.” Jon was hesitating, refusing to look Conner in the eye.

          “I didn’t mean to hurt Tuppence.”

          “I honestly could not care less about Tuppence.” He admitted. “I am worried about you.”

          What was Jon supposed to say? That he was scared Milagro would get hurt? That he was angry to know that someone had hurt her? “I did what I could to protect her, but...maybe I did go over board.”

          “Maybe?”

          “Fine. I went overboard. But, I don’t regret protecting KL.”

          “Ok.”

          “And I’d do it again if I had to.”

          “Ok.” Jon fell silent for a moment, eyeing Conner with suspicion. “What? You want me to say something else? I’ve already told you why I’m here. So, am I teaching you or not?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Keep in mind this is based in a canon divergent Earth-16 so Conner is the one from Young Justice not Post-crisis or New-52


	21. Super Lantern Chapter 21

          Milagro didn’t have much to do now that the the sun had set. Robin was out patrolling the city with Maya. Suren was resting after he had woken up just long enough to heal her completely. Roy was back to doing his own thing now that he was sure none of them had died. So now it was just her, bored out of her mind again, and staring at the large moon. She didn’t even have any idea where Jon had gone off to but wouldn’t be surprised if he was done with her after her stunt today.

          “Any chance you’re looking for company?”

          Mila jumped to her feet and spun around to face Jon. He looked like he just came out of the shower, hair still wet and towel hanging around his shoulders. “Hey, didn’t think you’d still be hanging around after storming out earlier.”

          “I didn’t go far before Conner showed up and handed my butt to me.” He chucked going to join her near the edge of the building. “Sorry if I kind of freaked out earlier.”

          “You’re good now so it’s fine.” Milagro couldn’t help but smile when he joined her, going to sit back down to let her feet dangle over the edge. “Well, come on, sit down or are you just gonna stand there and be awkward?”

          “Awkward seems to run in the family.” Jon chuckled, sitting down.

          “Same.” She smiled. “I didn’t get a chance to thank you. When my ring ran out of juice I thought I was a goner.”

          “Glad you made it.” Jon smiled.

          “Wouldn’t have if you hadn’t shown up.”

          There was a moment of silence, Milagro wondering if she could scoot just a little bit closer and it not be weird, Jon wondering why his heart was beating so quickly. Rather, he knew why, he was just wanting it to stop long enough so he could think.

          Come on, Superboy, think of something to end the awkwardness. Say something. Anything! Hell, ask her a simple question and let her do the talking! “Can I ask why you decided to become a hero?” Jon had never thought to ask her that, but there it was. Honestly, it seemed like a logical question. For people like him and Damian being a hero just seemed like the natural path to go down. But Milagro wasn’t like them. Her parents were normal. Her brother was a hero but that didn’t mean she had to be. 

          “I’m a Green Lantern, it comes with the ring.” She shrugged the question off quickly.

          “Being a Green Lantern doesn’t mean you’re a hero. I mean, Sinestro was a Green Lantern right? And, I don’t know, I think if I was a normal kid suddenly faced with being a hero I’d be scared. Why weren’t you?”

          She paused again, eyes watching the moon above as she thought his question over. “I don’t know.” She finally said. “When I was really little it was kind of just what every kid wanted.” She held her hand out, a glowing green statue of Superman forming in her palm. “We’d all look up at the statues of Superman, with his cape looking like it was blowing in the wind, and it was what we all wanted. The adventure, the glory. We’d tie sheets around our necks and jump out of trees to pretend we were flying until Mama yelled at us for ruining her laundry.” That last part came with a laugh and a fond smile as she dispelled the image and flew from her spot on the edge of the roof. “I wanted the cape.” She spun around and a green cape billowed from her shoulders down to her ankles. “I wanted to fly and I wanted to have people see me as a hero.”

          She paused again, the cape disappearing as she held out her hand again, this time a small depiction of Jaime formed as she continued her story. “We knew from almost the beginning that my brother was the Blue Beetle, not that any of us wanted to believe it. The first time I saw him put on his armor I was terrified.” As she talked the small Jaime doubled over in pain as the grotesque claws of the scarab jutted out from his back and morphed over him to form the armor. “I had never seen something so terrifying. I wouldn’t go near him for days.” Her voice wavered and Jon wondered if she was about to cry, but she powered through to continue. “Finally, when his reaching out to ruffle my hair, as he always does, caused me to flinch away; I noticed how much my being afraid was hurting him. He was going through so much, and it only got worse. The Reach came to Earth and I noticed something was wrong immediately. I knew my brother, and he wasn’t acting like himself.” 

          The small Jaime in her palm stood up straight, stock still, like a statue. “When I found out what had happened, that The Reach had been controlling him. I can’t imagine what it was like for him. All the scarab has done is hurt my brother. He never deserved any of that. And all I could do was stand on the sidelines and wait for it to eventually kill him.” The image in her hand turned again, Jon on the edge of his seat as he watched her illustrations. This time it was her, out of her Green Lantern uniform, sitting curled into a ball. The real Milagro looked like she was close to crying, eyes watering as her words caught in her throat. “I was so scared. Our backyard games were suddenly real and they weren’t fun anymore. I thought I would lose my brother before he even turned eighteen. It was only a matter of time, right?” 

          Tears streaked down her cheeks but she continued her story. “But, then I got my ring.” A constructed green lantern ring entered the stage that was her palm and the tiny Milagro reached for it. In a flash of light she was no longer curled into a small ball, rather she was standing proud in her Green Lantern uniform. “I played like it was my childhood dream, like a kid over excited about getting to do adult things. But, I knew from the moment I got the ring that it meant I could help my brother. That, maybe, I could take a bit of the burden off his shoulders. But that’s not what happened.” Jaime rejoined the illustration, panicking as Milagro flew off. And then the images faded for good, taking their soft glow of green light with them. “He ended up more stressed, the same fear I had for years he’s now struggling with. I didn’t help him. I made it worse.” Her voice cracked again as her tears turned to sobbing, nearly curling in on herself as she floated in the sky above Titan’s Tower. All Jon could think to do was wrap her in a hug, slowly bringing her back to the roof where she clung onto him, crying into his shoulder. “I-...I could have died today…” The realization hit her like a freight train. Jaime would have blamed himself for not being there. Her parents would have blamed themselves for not stopping her. And the entire thing would have been her own fault.

          “Hey, hey,” Jon said gently, pulling away just enough so he could look her in the eye. “I promise you. So long as I’m here, that’s not going to happen.”

          Milagro pulled away, wiping her eyes and shaking her head. “You can’t promise that but…” She took a deep breath steadying herself. “I’ll be ok. I just...I guess I just needed a good cry. Thanks for that.”

          “Any time. Are you sure you’ll be ok?”

          “I-...” Milagro paused, taking another deep breath. “I’ll be fine. Thank you, Jon.” She carefully leaned forward and placed a gentle kiss on Jon’s cheek. “For everything today.” As she got up and walked back towards the entrance to the tower Jon sat there, brain fried for a good few seconds, face bright red. “You coming inside? I’m sure we can find something to eat in the kitchen if you’re hungry.”

          It took Jon another second to come back to reality, after his brain short fused, and he was up on his feet, going to join Mila.


	22. Chapter 22

_ June 20th, 2018 Gotham City _

 

          Maya Ducard, despite being leader of the Teen Titans, still wasn’t used to the idea of a team. Sure, it was easy to work with others when they were around, but then there was the moments they were gone. Milagro, Jon, and Damian all had school and Suren had grown so antisocial it was easy to forget he was there. And Roy, while he’s supposed to be their den mother, only showed up when they needed him. He seemed to spend most of his time either in his robot workshop or with The Red Hood. Which left Maya on her own during the weekdays. Being alone was a dangerous thing. It put ideas in her head. It gave her enough time to make horrible decisions, like the one she was making right now. If Damian knew she was in Gotham he had yet to say anything, which tells her that he didn’t know. Good.

          It wasn’t entirely her fault. It’s not like she had planned to go chasing a ghost. The signal was hard to notice at first, it was on a frequency she only monitored passively. She wasn’t expecting anything to be coming over it but old habits die hard; and, as it turns out, even when the reason for those habits is dead, they still persist. It’s the comm channel her dad used to talk to her, when he deigned to do so. When she realized what it was she nearly fell out of her chair.  _ No one _ used that signal. It came through in code, a code that only she and her parents knew. It was either her mother or-...or she really was out here chasing ghosts. Surprisingly, her money was on the later option.

_           "The guilty should disappear.” _ It had been something her father told her. Which is the exact reason she knew it wasn’t her mother. But her father was dead. She had seen his body up close and personal. But that didn’t explain who sent the message; just who didn’t. Regardless, the message obviously had something to do with her father and that was her only lead at the moment. That mean she was going diving in one of the most disgusting harbors in America.

          Gotham Harbor was a classic dumping sight for bodies, chemical waste, and just waste in general. It wasn’t exactly somewhere you went for a summer swim. But, this wasn’t Maya’s first time taking the plunge to what lay below. Even with her mask’s lights the water was so murky she couldn’t see more than a foot ahead of her but she had the remains tagged. Another few minutes of swimming and she reached the remains of the submarine her father was buried in. And there he was, where she had left him. He wasn’t recognizable anymore, his flesh and eyes eaten away by whatever fish had discovered the grave. But, she knew him by the hole in the middle of his forehead, where Damian’s fingers had pierced his skull.

          At first glance everything looked to be in order, but then her eyes spotted the glint of new metal, shining under her light. There was a small metal tube, like a capsule, that looked far too shiny to not be new, strapped to his foot. She pulled it free, gave the sight one last glance over, then headed for the surface and pulled herself up onto the nearest dock. Carefully she examined the capsule, looking for the latch to open it. Her fingers found the smooth groove and pried it open, the contents spilling into her hand. She almost dropped it entirely as a knife, still wet with blood, popped out. She want to shove it back into the capsule just in time to hear the police sirens. And there she was, amassed person holding a bloody knife.

          “Drop the knife and put your hands on your head!“ The policemen bill owed over his megaphone.

          What was she to tell him? She was an innocent masked stranger with a knife? And she had found it tied to dead father‘s body at the bottom of Gotham Harbor? That would only bring up more questions she wasn’t willing to answer. She at least for one of the officers orders. She dropped the knife; only instead of putting her hands on her head she took off running.

          She could just barely make out his Shelly now she don’t back into the harbor. Her rebreather could keep her down there long enough for the police to widen your search, then she could resurface and head back to the tower. This Gaucher’s have been a bad idea from the start. Or, at least, that a better plan. And she near the summary her mask’s hud went black, her rebreather stopped working, and water filled the space between her and her mask. Maya shot up for the surface, turn the mask off the second she breached.

          She resisted the urge to gag on the putrid water is she trying to find a safe place to hide. The nearest dock was covered in barnacles and slime but at least it would cover her she waited for the cops to cool off. Maybe she could try to call Damien? This was his city, he would know what to do. Of course, she hadn’t brought her cell phone. That with her the comms. There is a slim chance he be listening to the Titan’s comm channel while in Gotham but there was a chance.

          As the police sirens faded into the city Maya pulled herself up onto the dock and pushed her mask back on. The hud was still down, something have fried it. That meant she was without a comm too. Great. Stranded in Gotham, wanted by the police, and without any of her tech. This night was just turning out to be loads of fun.

          Whatever had fried her gear it couldn’t of been an EMP as she been underwater when it happened. That meant that someone, somewhere, had tempered with it. She can figure that out later, right now she needed a safe place to hide.

 

          Abandoned apartments in Crime Alley might seem like the obvious place to hide, but that was half the point. The police were probably on a wild goose chase trying to find her. Batman and Robin were smarter than that. Robin, at least, new how she thought and where she would go she wanted him to find her. 

          A noise at the window told Maya she was right. She leapt from her spot to greet Batman only to freeze. “You’re not Batman.” Was all she managed to say before a canister of knock out gas went off in her face.


End file.
